stack up

verb

stacked up; stacking up; stacks up

intransitive verb

1

: to add up

Cars were beginning to stack up behind the bus.

2

: to be in a particular state or situation

Here's how things stack up today.

3

: measure up, compare

—usually used with against

How does he stack up against the other job candidates?

Synonyms of stack up

• compare (with)
• measure up (to)

Examples of stack up in a Sentence

those newspapers have been stacking up in the basement since we moved here

Recent Examples on the Web

The 2022 Rookie of the Year had stacked up close calls and top finishes, building a reputation as a player perpetually on the verge. —Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 16 Mar. 2026

How does all of Massachusetts stack up? —Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026

The fees started to stack up and left a hole in her paycheck that was never filled. —Christopher Greenwood, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026

Here’s how Alliant stacks up to two of our top picks for mortgage providers. —Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stack up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

stack up

verb

: measure up sense 2, compare

see how you stack up against the champion