Meaning & use

ante

noun·Advanced

A sum of money a poker player must put into the pot before receiving cards.

See it in a sentence

Each player placed a small ante into the pot before the dealer dealt the cards.

The company decided to up the ante by offering an even bigger discount.

A note on using this word

The phrase 'up the ante' has become a common idiom meaning to increase the risk or stakes in any situation, not just poker.

Words with a similar meaning

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Make it your own

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