up one's game
Raise your standard
To up one's game is to improve one's performance or raise one's standards, typically in response to competition or challenge: She really upped her game after the promotion.
The expression comes from sports but applies broadly—work, relationships, creative pursuits.
The possessive shifts with the subject: up your game, up their game.
- progressMovement toward improvement
- practiceRepeated work toward mastery
- challengeTest of ability
- step upIncrease or advance
- advancementForward movement or promotion
rivalry · ambition · perseverance · resilience · training · proficiency · learning · determination · work ethic · effort · go the extra mile · no pain no gain · level up · mastery · raise the bar · up the ante · inspiration · enhancement
up one's gameslack off
Reduce one's effort
coast · phone it in · mail it in · rest on one's laurels · drop the ball
up one's gamegive up
Stop attempting something
check out · throw in the towel · tune out · disengage · not give a damn
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