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 This also is a chance for Chicago to one-up New York, which, despite rebuilding its airports, has no such direct train at any of the three airports controlled by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 The smartest thing The Pitt did in its second season was not try to one-up its first. — Samantha Highfill, Entertainment Weekly, 6 July 2026 Overall, this is a rather fascinating deal between division rivals attempting to one-up one another in the Atlantic. — James Mirtle, New York Times, 1 July 2026 After signing a top-five class last cycle, Freeman and the Irish are looking to one-up their efforts, currently holding the silver medal spot in 2027. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 June 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 danger of Applied Materials can only be outdone by Broadcom or Seagate .
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2026
  • And the filmmaker really outdoes himself with a major set piece toward the end, when Matt enters a crowded nightclub in search of Markos and wreaks murderous havoc while shape-shifting from one persona to another.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of outdo
Verb
  • But if guidelines treat each new indication with a multiyear review, the new therapies will keep outrunning the recommendations.
    — Karen E. Knudsen, STAT, 27 Oct. 2026
  • As expected, the 13-inch MacBook Air outran the Googlebook group by a country mile in both single-core and multi-core speeds on GeekBench.
    — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of outrun
Verb
  • With a week left before the midterm election, a significant number of Johnson County voters have already cast their ballots — vastly outpacing early voting totals during the 2022 midterm election cycle.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The problem is that their PR ambitions continue to outpace their professional accomplishments.
    — Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of outpace
Verb
  • Forty-three percent of US adults say the federal government is effective at bettering people’s lives, down from 51% in 2025, according to a new Bentley University-Gallup survey.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In the meantime, however, humankind was not there to be bettered.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of better
Verb
  • Chambliss hits Alexander in stride, allowing the speedy receiver to outrace pursuit to the end zone.
    — Dane Brugler, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Navarro outraced the defense to a through ball played ahead by Paxten Aaronson and beat goalkeeper Drake Callender one on one from near the penalty spot to give the Rapids a 1-0 lead.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 May 2026
Definition of outrace
Verb
  • Nothing like Paris, where small, historic hotels, many renovated in recent years, sometimes even manage to outshine the grande dames.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
  • If Henderson can outshine the bigger names, the Brewers could be OK.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of outshine
Verb
  • The year was the hottest ever recorded at the time, after which it was surpassed by 2024.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2026
  • That model has changed, with one recent report indicating that bot and agent HTML traffic is surpassing human traffic.
    — Xin Guo, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of surpass
Verb
  • However, in 1934, Lady Levi’s debuted as the first blue jeans designed specifically for women, marking a turning point in denim’s evolution and establishing it as a staple that transcended its utilitarian roots.
    — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
  • So rather than reimagining these books through a modern lens, each writer chose to lean into the ways the stories already transcend time.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 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 31 Oct. 2026.

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