trade up

verb

traded up; trading up; trades up

intransitive verb

1

: to trade in (something, such as an automobile) for something more expensive or valuable of its kind

2

: to stock or purchase higher-priced items

Examples of trade up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On the disappointment of 2024 In April 2024, the Chiefs traded up one spot to select Suamataia out of BYU with the 63rd overall pick in the second round of the NFL Draft. —Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026

One was Xavier Legette, the South Carolina product the team traded up to get with the 32nd and final pick of the draft’s first round. —Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2026

Europe and Asia traded up this morning and Bitcoin appears to be holding its own at above $93K. —Jim Edwards, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026

Picking up a high second-round pick and a future first-rounder, just to move down three spots when the Jaguars weren’t even trading up to select a quarterback, was phenomenal value and excellent general managing. —Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for trade up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup