raise the ante

idiom

1
: to raise the cost or price
The popular actor first demanded twice the salary offered him but then kept raising the ante.
2
: to increase the risk or possible harm that could result from something
often + on
The new law raises the ante on people who cheat on their taxes.
3
: to set a higher standard or goal
often + on
The film raises the ante on special effects.

Examples of raise the ante in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This time, the Jets would have to raise the ante to 120% of this year’s tag, as per the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, which would come to $12.734 million, which still would almost be less than Maye’s asking price. J.p. Pelzman, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2021

Dictionary Entries Near raise the ante

Cite this Entry

“Raise the ante.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raise%20the%20ante. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!