heat up

phrasal verb

heated up; heating up; heats up

: to become warm or hot

The morning started out cold but it heated up quickly.

: to become more active, intense, or angry

Their conversation started to heat up.

Competition between the two companies is heating up.

heat (something) up or heat up (something) : to cause (something) to become warm or hot

Could you heat up the vegetables, please?

Examples of heat up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Massachusetts could soon become the new leader in climate and environment technology, as the race to find solutions for sustainability and emissions mitigation heats up around the world. —

Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 3 June 2024 Consider starting seedlings indoors or using tools like grow tents or cold frames to move your plants outdoors before the weather heats up. —

Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2024 Last year was the hottest in recorded history and scientists say the world is on track to heat up even more, to the point where parts of the planet will be unlivable. —

Jack Ewing, New York Times, 27 May 2024 Things begin to heat up Sunday, when the high is forecast to reach 83 degrees. —

Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 23 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for heat up

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