# ante

/ˈænti/ (US) · /ˈæntiː/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ante
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

the amount of money players must put into the pot before a game of cards starts. In daily life, it refers to the cost or risk you must accept to join an activity.

For teachers: a stake put up by a player in poker or similar games before receiving cards; by extension, the cost or level of investment required to participate in an endeavour.

## Examples

- Each player must pay a five-dollar ante to join the hand.
- The new competitor raised the ante by offering free shipping on every order, forcing other companies to do the same.
- In the high-stakes world of semiconductor manufacturing, the ante for entry is billions of dollars in research and development before a single chip is even produced.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used in the idiomatic phrase 'up the ante', meaning to increase the costs, risks, or stakes of a situation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.