level up

verb

leveled up or levelled up; leveling up or levelling up; levels up

transitive + intransitive

: to advance or improve (oneself, someone else, or something) in or as if in a game

Collect cards and magic potions, then level up your favourite dragons to increase their abilities.

—Animation Xpress

Staying competitive comes down to many factors, but one that's often overlooked, in my opinion, is the ongoing need to level up your marketing team.

—Sujan Patel

That [Kevin] Reilly has leveled up the brands of both networks is clear in their programming selections.

—Broadcasting and Cable

We provide nurses with the tools they need to level up their careers and their profession …

—News & Record (Greensboro, North Carolina)

Leveling up and finding new weapons, armor, or items give you plenty of incentive to keep slashing and button mashing away.

—Dan Hsu

Companies coax helpers to participate by offering points for useful answers, connecting total points to specific achievement levels, and encouraging users to level up, for even greater prestige.

—Paul McFedries

Examples of level up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This will level up your cleaning frequency considerably, with superstrong suction power and a hefty battery life. —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 27 Mar. 2025

Finally, level up the ensemble by way of flat or heeled strappy sandals and a little bag or clutch (an oversized tote likely isn’t necessary for this occasion). —Kelsey Stewart, Glamour, 27 Mar. 2025

The role-playing influence has players collecting experience points for Kratos to level up, coming up with strategic character builds around abilities and magic, and crafting armor pieces while keeping in mind stats and resistances. —Diego Argüello, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2025

The United Soccer League is making moves to compete more directly with Major League Soccer, giving Phoenix Rising a chance to level up Arizona's professional soccer scene. —Jessica Boehm, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

2003, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for level up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup