1 B2 informal
To gain muscle mass and body weight by training and eating more.
"The actor bulked up significantly for his role as a professional wrestler."
inseparable
bulk up
B2 informal inseparable intransitive
To gain muscle mass and increase body weight through exercise and diet.
In plain English
To exercise and eat a lot to get bigger and more muscular.
What does "bulk up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To increase the size, strength, or quantity of something (figurative).
"The company decided to bulk up its IT department ahead of the product launch."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To make oneself bulkier or bigger.
Actually means
To exercise and eat a lot to get bigger and more muscular.
Usage tip
Primarily used in fitness and bodybuilding contexts. Can also be used figuratively to mean increasing the size or strength of something. The figurative sense is less common than 'beef up' in that role.
Words that pair with "bulk up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
gym muscles protein diet fast season
How to conjugate "bulk up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bulk up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bulks up
he/she/it
Past simple
bulked up
yesterday
Past participle
bulked up
have + pp
-ing form
bulking up
continuous
Hear "bulk up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "bulk up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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