# turn sth up

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to increase the volume, heat, or power of a machine or device.

For teachers: to increase the intensity, volume, or output of an appliance or system by adjusting its controls.

## Examples

- Can you turn the radio up? I love this song.
- It was getting quite cold in the living room, so he decided to turn the heating up.
- The lead guitarist turned his amplifier up so high that the rest of the band struggled to hear their own instruments during the soundcheck.

## Pitfalls

- Not "Turn up it." but "Turn it up." — when the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- usually used with devices like radios, heaters, ovens, or lights.
- Teaching tip: this is a separable phrasal verb; remind students that if they use a pronoun like 'it', it must go in the middle: 'turn it up'.

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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.