stack up

verb

stacked up; stacking up; stacks up

intransitive verb

1
: to add up : total
2
: measure up, compare
usually used with against

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
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.
This season’s Peacock games are on Mondays, and most weeks have two or three exclusives stacked up to start the week. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 With each of their first three preseason opponents choosing to rest their regulars, the Celtics don’t yet have a clear picture of how their offseason additions will stack up against top competition. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Oct. 2025 Norvell has always been a players’ coach, but when three straight one-possession losses stack up, faith becomes currency. D’joumbarey Moreau, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025 The accolades are stacking up for Stephen Graham. Alex Ritman, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stack up

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stack up was in 1896

Cite this Entry

“Stack up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stack%20up. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

stack up

verb
: measure up sense 2, compare
see how you stack up against the champion
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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