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

Creator Dan Erickson’s popular show has stacked up 51 awards for its stellar performances, directing, and cinematography. — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Where does the Heat now stack up in a suddenly ultra-competitive Eastern Conference after a flurry of offseason moves? — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026

Overall rankings are no more than a barometer of how positions stack up against one another. — Gary Davenport, New York Times, 27 July 2026

By comparison, Widow’s Bay’s 19 nominations stacked up against 24 for Hacks looks like a pretty even playing field. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 July 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