one-upmanship

noun

one-up·​man·​ship ˌwən-ˈəp-mən-ˌship How to pronounce one-upmanship (audio)
variants or less commonly one-upsmanship
: the art or practice of outdoing or keeping one jump ahead of a friend or competitor
engaged in a round of verbal one-upmanship

Examples of one-upmanship in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Wilson’s songwriting grew deeper and more passionate, resulting in The Beach Boys’ 1966 masterpiece Pet Sounds, which stands among the greatest albums ever made and which set off the greatest game of one-upmanship in rock history. Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 11 June 2025 That country’s arms race in fast charging is already sparking one-upmanship. IEEE Spectrum, 6 June 2025 Yet the pair become rivals for the affections of a widowed first-grade teacher (Olivia Williams) and engage in some great one-upmanship shenanigans. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 5 June 2025 This bizarre love triangle results in Max and Herman (Bill Murray) waging a war of one-upmanship to the sounds of the ‘60s British invasion. Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025 Coop’s former family home, in a neighborhood where houses regularly cost eight figures, is a gray monstrosity, and parties in the community are occasions for exhausting one-upmanship. Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 26 May 2025 This is a corrupt web of government dysfunction and one-upmanship. Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025 There is no process publicly anymore, no presumption of innocence, no patience to wait before turning to a game of one-upmanship: Who can best phrase their conclusions in 280 characters? Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2025 The big picture: Parody accounts from Mount Rainier and Mount Hood are trading playful taunts and humorous one-upmanship, comparing body counts and jesting about whether size matters. Christine Clarridge, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-upmanship was in 1952

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Cite this Entry

“One-upmanship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-upmanship. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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