one-upmanship
noun
one-up·man·ship
ˌwən-ˈəp-mən-ˌship 
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
In a field known for competitive one-upmanship, this seemed more a joyous rap party.
—
Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 24 Aug. 2025
To claim the mantle of perfectionism can become a game of one-upmanship.
—Leslie Jamison, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
End the Non-Essential Spending Arms Race Universities have engaged in decades of facility one-upmanship, featuring luxury dorms, resort-style recreation centers, gourmet food courts, and constant new construction.
—Scott White, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
The characters seem more concerned with personal gain and political one-upmanship than with serving the public good.
—Arkansas Online, 28 June 2025
Many exchanges are nonsensical, full of one-upmanship using difficult words and laughter.
—Claudia Lauder, Christian Science Monitor, 23 June 2025
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
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Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 24 Aug. 2025
To claim the mantle of perfectionism can become a game of one-upmanship.
—Leslie Jamison, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
End the Non-Essential Spending Arms Race Universities have engaged in decades of facility one-upmanship, featuring luxury dorms, resort-style recreation centers, gourmet food courts, and constant new construction.
—Scott White, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
The characters seem more concerned with personal gain and political one-upmanship than with serving the public good.
—Arkansas Online, 28 June 2025
Many exchanges are nonsensical, full of one-upmanship using difficult words and laughter.
—Claudia Lauder, Christian Science Monitor, 23 June 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“One-upmanship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-upmanship. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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