matchup

noun

match·​up ˈmach-ˌəp 

: match entry 1

Synonyms of matchup

• tournament
• game
• competition
• event
• match

Examples of matchup in a Sentence

a boxing matchup that promises to be a sportswriter's dream

Recent Examples on the Web

But largely, the first four days have seen matchups hold, and one of the finer balances in tennis is back in play. — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 2 July 2026

In other words, the Round of 16 matchup is widely expected to be a toss-up. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026

Argentina’s Lionel Messi scored a first-half goal and Cape Verde had an answer, taking the round of 32 matchup to extra time. — Rod Beard, AJC.com, 4 July 2026

Vaughn Dalzell and Jay Croucher analyze Portugal's outlook for a round-of-32 matchup against Croatia. — Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above