pump up

verb

pumped up; pumping up; pumps up

transitive verb

1
a
: to fill with enthusiasm or excitement
b
: to fill with or as if with air : inflate
2

Examples of pump up in a Sentence

the crowd was pumped up by the band's rocking performance that pop diva is trying to pump up album sales with an extended publicity tour
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 15-year veteran pumped up what felt like a home crowd before clobbering Stafford on a third-and-9. Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024 But what that means in raw dollar amounts has shifted dramatically since 2018 — not because individuals’ wages have gone up that much, but because the influx of high-paying tech jobs, coupled with inflation, has pumped up the regionwide average for earnings. Bridget Grumet, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Nov. 2024 This isn’t just a postseason phenomenon as Mets fans–many of whom may have already been fans of Latin Pop music–have pumped up the volume after key wins throughout the regular season. Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2024 Creative also has the Pebble Plus 2.1 set on sale for $37 which adds a little subwoofer to pump up your sound with the two adorable Pebble speakers. Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pump up 

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pump up was in 1791

Cite this Entry

“Pump up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pump%20up. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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