raise the stakes

verb

To increase in significance or risk.

“With a royal flush, he decided to raise the stakes.”

Similar
sweeten the potup the anteescalate
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Meanings

verbraise the stakes (third-person singular simple present raises the stakes, present participle raising the stakes, simple past and past participle raised the stakes)

present singular third person raises the stakes · participle present raising the stakes · participle past raised the stakes · past raised the stakes

  1. idiomaticTo increase in significance or risk.

    The bank robber decided to take a hostage in order to raise the stakes.

  2. card gamesUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see raise, stakes (used literally e. g. of a hand of poker)

    With a royal flush, he decided to raise the stakes.

    Synonyms: sweeten the pot, up the ante, escalate

Synonyms & antonyms

verbUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see raise, stakes (used literally e. g. of a hand of poker)

Similar
sweeten the potup the anteescalate
Also see
sweeten the potup the ante
Cite this entry
APA

raise the stakes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/raise%20the%20stakes

MLA

“raise the stakes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/raise%20the%20stakes. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “raise the stakes,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/raise%20the%20stakes.

Source: raise the stakes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.