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

Other first impressions stacked up to the hype. —Jack Springgate, CBS News, 17 June 2026

How does the 2026 NHL Draft class stack up against 2025? —Corey Pronman, New York Times, 17 June 2026

Then the days continue to stack up with no baby. —David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026

Where Morris stacks up in his first week, and whether Taylor is cleared for full participation, could offer a glimpse at where this race stands entering the summer break. —Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 15 June 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