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step up

English · Thesaurus

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step up¹

verb steps up · stepping up · stepped up

  1. idiomatic, transitive To increase, augment, or advance, especially by one or more steps. Near-synonym: level up

    Similar: level up

step up²

Where it comes from

Ellipsis of step up to the plate (“take one's turn at bat, take responsibility”).

verb steps up · stepping up · stepped up

  1. idiomatic, intransitive To assume or take responsibility. Won't anyone step up to the challenge?

    Similar: volunteer, offer · Opposite: step aside, step down

Translations

Every language

verb to increase speed or rate

Españolaumentar, redoblar, extremar
Françaisaccroître, augmenter
Ελληνικάεντείνω enteíno
Русскийнарастить narastitʹ, поднажать podnažatʹ

verb to assume responsibility

Españoldar un paso adelante
Русскийвызваться vyzvatʹsja, взяться vzjatʹsja

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Cite this
MLA

"step up." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/step%20up. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

step up. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/step%20up

Chicago

"step up." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/step%20up.

BibTeX
@misc{step_up_2026,
  title = {step up},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/step%20up},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}