up the ante

idiom

: to raise the cost or price

The popular actor first demanded twice the salary offered him but then kept upping the ante.

: to increase the risk or possible harm that could result from something

—often + on

The new law ups the ante on people who cheat on their taxes.

: to set a higher standard or goal

—often + on

The film ups the ante on special effects.

Examples of up the ante in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web To up the ante even more, use scotch tape to cover the stem, then flip the tomatoes stem-side down. —

Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2024 Models then up the ante with more and more luxury or more off-road capability. —

Aaron Turpen, New Atlas, 5 Aug. 2024 Each year high school students up the ante more and more for prom. —

Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY, 3 June 2024 Why not up the ante and make the tights both pants and shoes, the skip the top altogether in favor of a wildly weather inappropriate fur coat? —

Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 26 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for up the ante

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'up the ante.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.