# beef up

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/beef-up
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to make something stronger or more powerful by adding extra people, equipment, or features.

For teachers: to augment or strengthen a system, organisation, or object by adding resources, personnel, or components; transitive.

## Examples

- They beef up security before the concert.
- The company plans to beef up its IT team after last week’s cyber-attack.
- Governments often beef up border controls during periods of heightened geopolitical tension.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They beefed security up." but "They beefed up security." — particle ‘up’ must precede the object; this verb is inseparable.

## Usage notes

- common collocations: beef up security, staff, defences, resume, infrastructure.
- Teaching tip: stress that the object normally follows the particle; contrast with ‘scale up’ (focus on size) and ‘tighten up’ (focus on strictness).

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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.