Are you looking to rev up your friends before going out for a night on the town? Maybe you're a quarterback looking for a way to tell your team to up their energy levels before the final play? In that case, using the idiom "upping the ante" is a great way to tell them to increase their enthusiasm and engagement with the game.
"Upping the ante" is a common phrase and suitable for use in professional and informal settings. It's a way of telling people to get their act together or increase their attitude and energy in a certain situation. This post unpacks everything you need to know about this idiom's meaning, use cases, and origins.
Upping the Ante Meaning
To "up the ante" means that you want to increase your engagement, energy, or attitude towards a specific task. You can use this phrase when talking to yourself or other people or teams. Upping the ante can also refer to increased risk with a particular task by upping the stakes.
"Ante" is a Spanish word referring to "before." Therefore, the most appropriate use of the phrase is before you compete or perform a specific task. For instance, the quarterback would tell the team to up the ante for this game to prepare them for when they take the field.
Upping the Ante Example Usage
Some examples of use cases for "upping the ante" would be the following.
- We're going out there to take on the league champs; lets up the ante right now.
- Your energy levels seem low; you need to up the ante before you make your speech.
- Are you guys ready to party? Let's up the ante before we hit the club.
- Are you willing to tell me you have the better hand? Let's up the ante before we place our bets.
Upping the Ante Origin
The origin of "upping the ante" comes from the card game poker. Poker players refer to the "blind" in the game as "the ante." By upping the ante, you're increasing the minimum bet on the hand and the size of the pot. As a result, you're increasing the risk for all players involved in the hand.
No specific date or timeline refers to the actual incorporation of the phrase into modern language. However, the idiom does refer to a challenge, and it can cause a positive or negative outcome from the action.
Phrases Similar to Upping the Ante
Some similar phrases to upping the ante would be the following.
- Get energy levels up.
- Get it together.
- Increase the risk.
- Get wild.
Phrases Opposite to Upping the Ante
- Tone it down a notch.
- Cut it out.
- Take the wind out of your sails.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Up the ante.
- Upping the ante.
- Ante up.
Ways People May Say Upping the Ante Incorrectly
Some people may use "up the ante" in the wrong context. Using it to describe an increase in violent behavior wouldn't be the correct use. Using the idiom to refer to anything other than attitude, energy levels, or risk would also be incorrect.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Upping the Ante
Upping the ante is a phrase describing an increase in attitude, energy levels, or risk. You can use it when referring to your behavior or in a team setting. Upping the ante will always refer to making more effort or giving the best performance you can at a task.
The idiom is also suited for use in both professional and social settings. You can tell your team at work to ante up before launch day in reference to expecting their best performance.