one-upped; one-upping; one-ups
: to practice one-upmanship on
: being in a position of advantage
—usually used with on
Examples of one-up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2025
But after the 2021 show blew up and caught the attention of audiences worldwide, Netflix and the show’s creator have been working to one-up their initial offering, in hopes of expanding the legacy the series has created.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 June 2025
Just watch out for those in your circle trying to one-up your brilliance — this is your moment to lead the chat!
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 26 June 2025
From left: The neighbors work to one-up each other with a rainbow-streamer curtain and a cheeky note.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for one-up
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Verb
Two teammates would one-up him over the ensuing couple of days, producing a pair of shutouts against the Royals.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2025
But after the 2021 show blew up and caught the attention of audiences worldwide, Netflix and the show’s creator have been working to one-up their initial offering, in hopes of expanding the legacy the series has created.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 June 2025
Just watch out for those in your circle trying to one-up your brilliance — this is your moment to lead the chat!
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 26 June 2025
From left: The neighbors work to one-up each other with a rainbow-streamer curtain and a cheeky note.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for one-up
Cite this Entry
“One-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-up. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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