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.
Still practicing the Gershwin standard and learning to do less in order to do more – that is, creating something richer for collaboration rather than one-upmanship. John Baldoni, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 That didn't stop Sigma from engaging in some one-upmanship, with its 135mm F1.4 DG Art ($1,899) that focuses in an instant and features a brighter optical formula that excels in tough light and blurs backgrounds into nothing. PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2025 But in the Trump era of flashy braggadocio and chest-thumping one-upmanship, Newsom is fighting fire with fire. Matt K. Lewis, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2025 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 The characters seem more concerned with personal gain and political one-upmanship than with serving the public good. Arkansas Online, 28 June 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 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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