Sentence examples for ups the ante from inspiring English sources

The phrase "ups the ante" is correct and commonly used in both spoken and written English.
It means to increase the stakes or raise the level of something, usually in a competitive or challenging situation. Example: The company's decision to introduce a new and improved product has really upped the ante in the market. (meaning it has raised the level of competition) Another example: The athlete's impressive performance in the first round has upped the ante for the rest of the competitors. (meaning it has increased the challenge for the other competitors).