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

Since the leaders go in reverse order, Humphries stacked up before Meyers Taylor who then gave way to Nolte. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026

Here is how some countries stack up, based on information compiled by CNBC from national Olympic committees, sports associations and local reports. —Lee Ying Shan,sydney Goh, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026

With that lens in mind, here’s how the major meal delivery services stack up. —Rita Templeton, Flow Space, 13 Feb. 2026

Interest keeps stacking up, card balances balloon, minimum payments will barely move the needle and even small financial surprises can throw your budget even further off track. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 13 Feb. 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