PUMPING UP Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

pumping up

verb

present participle of pump up

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 When showing a complex picture with many different hues next to each other, though, pumping up the output of individual LED colors can cause the edges of those hues to tint and warp. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026 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 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

Verb

Halloween on the Hill Des Moines The historic homes in Des Moines’ Sherman Hill neighborhood become a spectacle of haunting decorations and thrilling sights during the annual Halloween on the Hill event.

— Michelle Mastro, Midwest Living, 9 Oct. 2026
The last time the Indians started a season 6-0 was in 1967, but Keller equaled that by virtue of a thrilling 49-42 win over Trophy Club Byron Nelson in key District 4-6A game on Thursday night at Keller ISD Stadium.

— Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of thrilling

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

That law included provisions dramatically expanding the scope of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Altogether, Google is expanding automatic tracking support to cover more than 100 different exercises and sports, up from 10 previously.

— Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of expanding

Verb

Brill spent the first stretch of the pandemic in Hell’s Kitchen, getting over both COVID and a breakup, occasionally turning on Fauci’s briefings.

— Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Virginia, your story uses dark humor to manipulate readers into sympathizing with Winifred before turning on them.

— Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of turning on

Verb

Leading equipment manufacturers, including Caterpillar, Komatsu, Liebherr, and SANY, are accelerating efforts to deploy zero-emission haul fleets across the industry.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026
That 12-month number would signal that the rate of price growth is accelerating and moving further from the Federal Reserve's goal of 2%.

— Alex Harring, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of accelerating

Verb

After its electrifying premiere, there were quickly reports that A24 is focused on a Best Picture campaign for the film in large part because the Academy’s fusty Documentary Branch may opt not to nominate it for Best Documentary Feature.

— Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2026
The Minnesota Lynx's electrifying guard, Olivia Miles, has been named the Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year.

— Cole Premo, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of electrifying

Verb

The company dispensed with its DEI disclosures to investors, scrubbing any references to goals and resources aimed at boosting diversity at the company.

— Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
In recent years, business has also benefited from factors outside the company’s control, like a country music resurgence boosting the sale of acoustic guitars and Taylor Swift inspiring more young women to take up the instrument.

— Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of boosting

Browse Nearby Words

pumping

pumping up

pumps

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

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Synonyms of pumping up

verb

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