sex up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Informal, Journalistic, Business, Sometimes pejorative.
Quick answer
What does “sex up” mean?
To make something more exciting, appealing, or superficially attractive, often by exaggerating or distorting facts.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To make something more exciting, appealing, or superficially attractive, often by exaggerating or distorting facts.
1. To present information in a deliberately more sensational or appealing way. 2. (In older, now less common usage) To make someone more sexually attractive or to arouse someone.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More strongly associated with British media and political discourse (e.g., 'sexed-up dossier'). In American English, 'juice up', 'pump up', or 'spice up' might be more common in casual contexts, though 'sex up' is understood.
Connotations
In both, carries a negative connotation of misleading embellishment. The older literal meaning is largely archaic in both varieties.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK media and commentary. Lower frequency but fully understood in US English.
Grammar
How to Use “sex up” in a Sentence
[Someone] sexes up [something][Something] is sexed upVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sex up” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The minister was accused of sexing up the intelligence report.
- They had to sex up the product launch to get investor interest.
American English
- The ad agency sexed up the campaign with some wild claims.
- Her memoir was heavily sexed up compared to the real events.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; phrase not used as an adverb.)
American English
- (Not standard; phrase not used as an adverb.)
adjective
British English
- The sexed-up dossier caused a major political scandal.
- We were presented with a sexed-up version of the budget.
American English
- The sexed-up press release didn't match the company's actual performance.
- He gave a sexed-up account of his role in the project.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Critiquing a business plan or marketing material seen as overly optimistic or misleading: 'The financial projections are completely sexed up.'
Academic
Rare and informal; used critically: 'The study's conclusions were accused of being sexed up for media attention.'
Everyday
Discussing someone exaggerating a story: 'He really sexed up his account of the meeting.'
Technical
Not typically used in technical writing; would be a critique of technical communication.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sex up”
Strong
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sex up”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sex up”
- Using it to mean 'to have sex'. Confusing it with 'hook up'. Using it in overly formal contexts where 'embellish' would be more appropriate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, not in contemporary usage. While it originated from a literal sense related to sexual appeal, its dominant modern meaning is figurative: to embellish or exaggerate something to make it more attractive or exciting.
No, it is informal and often carries a critical or pejorative tone. In formal writing, words like 'embellish', 'exaggerate', or 'sensationalize' are preferred.
It gained prominence in British English during the 2003 Iraq War controversy, where a government dossier on weapons of mass destruction was widely described in the media as having been 'sexed up'.
Rarely. It usually implies the added appeal is superficial, misleading, or dishonest. A more neutral phrase like 'spice up' or 'enhance' would be used for positive improvements.
To make something more exciting, appealing, or superficially attractive, often by exaggerating or distorting facts.
Sex up: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɛks ʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɛks ʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A sexed-up version of the truth.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a dull document getting a makeover to be more 'sexy' and attractive, but in a flashy, potentially dishonest way.
Conceptual Metaphor
ATTRACTIVENESS IS SEXINESS; MAKING SOMETHING APPEALING IS MAKING IT SEXY.
Practice
Quiz
In modern usage, 'sex up' most closely means: