pumping up

verb

present participle of pump up
1
as in thrilling
to cause a pleasurable stimulation of the feelings of the crowd was pumped up by the band's rocking performance

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in increasing
to make greater in size, amount, or number that pop diva is trying to pump up album sales with an extended publicity tour

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pumping up Several stock indexes, including the NASDAQ 100, also relaxed rules for how soon new issues could be included, further pumping up demand. — John Ruwitch, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026 In other words, pumping up the stock market was seen as a way to drive consumer spending. — George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 Many of my fellow viewers enthusiastically embraced the role of wrestling fans and behaved as if at a WWE match, audibly pumping up the hero and booing her opponents. — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026 Fars and the Iranian government are also likely pumping up the Starlink threat for propaganda purposes amid escalating tensions. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 11 June 2026 Council Speaker Julie Menin is on the right path to pumping up Fair Fares by increasing the income threshold to participate, making enrollment automatic and even eliminating the fare entirely for some folks. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026 Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is pumping up his reelection bid at age 80 by looking jacked in workouts that his critics say are more popular than the man himself. — ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026 Taking his place in one of the Broadhurst Theatre’s box seats, DJ Griddlebone wastes no time pumping up the crowd and welcoming all and sundry Jellicles to the stage. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026 Scammers start out by buying shares of a cheap stock but then convince others to buy big, pumping up the stock's value so the scammers can then sell their shares for huge profits. — Tim McNicholas, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pumping up
  1. thrilling
  2. increasing
  3. exciting
  4. expanding
  5. turning on
  6. accelerating
  7. electrifying
  8. boosting
Verb
  • Few contemporary A-list actors give better scared face than her, and as with her psychologically fraught pop star in Mother Mary, there’s a physicality to her action-mom turn here that’s thrilling to watch.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The animation is more than just impressive, the songs — including a gem from the Backstreet Boys — are terrific and the action sequences are exciting and thrilling to behold.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of thrilling
Verb
  • But the drought is still hitting home with record-low water levels on the Danube River disrupting grain transport, causing chronically congested terminals and an increasing pileup of crops with nowhere to go.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Our city is not alone in the trend of increasing e-scooter injuries.
    — Narmeen Khan, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of increasing
Verb
  • Major Wilson, 17, has been around horses most of his life and now spends much of his time helping younger riders get ready, showing them how to saddle their horses without exciting them.
    — Jhair Romero, Houston Chronicle, 26 Feb. 2026
  • For Harrington and her husband Dante, the thought of triplets was shocking but exciting all the same.
    — Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Definition of exciting
Verb
  • Both companies say that weight-loss pills are expanding the market, rather than being bought only by people who'd already used the more expensive injectables.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Aid workers say the outbreak continues to outpace response that's been expanding across the five provinces affected.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of expanding
Verb
  • But there’s nothing better than a little kid opening his gift and then turning on the TV watching the NBA games.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Bowed July 10, it is directed by Arima León, turning on their encounter and their correspondence afterwards.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 27 July 2026
Definition of turning on
Verb
  • Analysts say the shift could reshape Africa’s automotive industry by creating jobs, developing local supply chains and accelerating adoption of electric vehicles, although weak infrastructure and policy uncertainty remain significant obstacles.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • In her new role, the company said Kanemitsu will oversee its strategic vision and day-to-day operations across Japan, focusing on accelerating customer success, deepening partner relationships and driving regional growth.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of accelerating
Verb
  • This is the spirit that Marvel Tokon carries forward, an electrifying synthesis by main character designer Yuki Kato, whose art has shaped Arc System Works' fighting games since the beloved BlazBlue.
    — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Arendt, evidently depressed and convinced of life’s meaninglessness, found his teaching electrifying.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of electrifying
Verb
  • Kash says they are packed with antioxidants such as polyphenols and flavonoids to neutralize free radicals that cause stress and inflammation and help with boosting your immune system overall.
    — Marie Bladt, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
  • If North Korea and Russia continue to work closely on nuclear weapons, Japan and South Korea will use the North Korean threat to justify boosting their alliances with the United States.
    — ZHENG JIYONG, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of boosting

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pumping
pumping up
pumps
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Cite this Entry

“Pumping up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pumping%20up. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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