stack up

verb

stacked up; stacking up; stacks up

intransitive verb

1

: to add up : total

2

: measure up, compare

—usually used with against

Synonyms

• 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

Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Tom Holland is one of the most bankable actors in Hollywood, but how do his films stack up in terms of their critical score? —Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Aug. 2025

Here's how College Ave stacks up against two other major lenders in the student loan space. —Adam Palasciano, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2025

Three generations of Nastya’s family have lived in her mother’s apartment, and the children’s toys were stacked up in plastic bags for when grandchildren visit. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 31 July 2025

According to city documents, how traffic moves through and stacks up away from the drive-through are factors that would have to be ironed out. —Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 28 July 2025

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