expression

ramp up

to increase

In Phrasal Verbs

In more detail

1. (verb) to increase something gradually or by a large amount

2. (verb) to prepare or get ready for something

Examples

1. The company ramped up production to meet the increased demand.
2. The team is ramping up for the championship game next week.

How to use ramp up

Ramp up is a phrasal verb used in business, military, and technical contexts to describe increasing something substantially or accelerating preparation for something. It suggests a gradual or systematic increase rather than an abrupt spike, and carries a sense of deliberate effort or strategy. It is slightly more dynamic and goal-oriented than the simpler verb 'increase.'

Common phrases

ramp up production
ramp up efforts
ramp up investment
ramp up spending
ramp up operations

Synonyms

increase · boost · scale up · step up · accelerate

Opposites

scale down · reduce · decrease

Word family

ramp · ramped up · ramping up

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse ramp up with ramp down, or incorrectly use it with contexts where a simpler verb like 'increase' would be more natural in formal writing.

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