one-up

verb

Definition of one-upnext
as in to outdo

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of one-up The Berenstein Bear's bedrooms are arranged in a one-up, one-down layout. — New Atlas, 10 June 2026 In July 2021, Bronny was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated at the tender age of 16 — one-upping his superstar dad, who made his SI debut at 17 years old. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026 Mondo Duplantis, who was born in Louisiana but competes for his mother’s home country of Sweden, keeps one-upping himself, one centimeter at a time. — Sean Gregory, Time, 9 June 2026 The confidence was back, bolstered by a heady evening spent emotionally one-upping one another. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for one-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for one-up
  1. outdo
  2. outrun
  3. outpace
  4. better
  5. outrace
  6. outshine
  7. surpass
  8. transcend
Verb
  • The Slushi has been around for a couple years, and its popularity remains high (perhaps only to be outdone by the brand’s Creami).
    — Melissa Knific, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 July 2026
  • Not to be outdone by Carolina playing with a 14-yr old, Chicago started 13-yr old Elsie Hendershot, just acquired from STL.
    — Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of outdo
Verb
  • His peers of the mid-19th century were outrunning their critics and the old strictures of colonial imitation.
    — Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026
  • Last month in Orange, a teen riding an e-motorcycle without a helmet tried to outrun a motorcycle officer inside Grijalva Park in an incident captured on body camera footage.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Definition of outrun
Verb
  • Increasing independence and peer influence can outpace a child’s ability to regulate phone use effectively.
    — Elizabeth Dowdell, Fortune, 15 July 2026
  • Both the math and reading results outpaced the Texas average for year-to-year growth.
    — Samuel O’Neal July 15, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Definition of outpace
Verb
  • Defensively, France has also only conceded twice so far – a record bettered only by Spain which has let in one goal.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Workplace Pell expands long-standing education aid to cover shorter term programs that reflect changing demographics and job demands – as well as Americans' desire to better themselves.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 13 July 2026
Definition of better
Verb
  • Yapi created the opportunity by outracing Carlos Harvey down the left flank.
    — Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 11 Aug. 2025
  • May was replaced by Anthony Banda, who was greeted with another two-run triple by Willy Adames (who had already homered to open the scoring in the second inning) and a run-scoring infield single from Lee, who outraced Banda to first base to punctuate a painfully long inning.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Definition of outrace
Verb
  • Great game day eats can sometimes outshine what happens on the field.
    — Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • In a World Cup boasting a galaxy of stars, a lunch-bucket team of blue-collar everymen may wind up outshining them all.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of outshine
Verb
  • Organizers of celebrations months in the making had to adjust or cancel activities entirely as much of the East Coast sweltered under heat that approached and in many cases surpassed triple digits.
    — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • With the more than 2,000-acre jump in size, the Aspen Acres fire has surpassed the 2012 High Park fire and sits behind the 2018 Spring Creek fire, which consumed 108,045 acres, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
    — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 5 July 2026
Definition of surpass
Verb
  • Combine the two, and Spain have shown there are multiple threats to their game that transcend long sequences of possession.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • The future world heavyweight champion — regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time — also became a global cultural icon who transcended sports through his civil rights activism.
    — Corey Davis, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 17 July 2026
Definition of transcend

Browse Nearby Words

one-twos
one-up
one-upped
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“One-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/one-up. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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