one-upping

Definition of one-uppingnext
present participle of one-up
See the Dictionary Definition 

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for one-upping
Verb
  • Moffa says the first step in navigating grief is to stop outrunning it.
    Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
  • George gathers a defensive rebound, and Sarr, who starts this sequence underneath his defensive backboard, sprints upcourt, outrunning his Knicks counterpart, Karl-Anthony Towns.
    Josh Robbins, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • As rumors have flown about this relentless Sacramento parking enforcement officer, Nakamura has quietly patrolled the streets, outdoing himself.
    Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The Bruins shot a dominant 58% from the field, well outdoing the solid 43% for the Trojans.
    Sean Campbell, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In 2024, the brand sold some 90 million rooms and accounted for nearly $12 billion in revenue for Hilton, according to Bloomberg, significantly outpacing competitors’ receipts.
    Tristan Bove, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Since then, the population on the Broadneck peninsula has grown significantly, outpacing the capacity of the existing building.
    Caroline Foreback, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Doe is seeking damages exceeding $75,000, along with other punitive damages and other relief to be determined at trial.
    Lexi Nicklaus, Baltimore Sun, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Both teams had playoff probabilities exceeding 85% just a few weeks ago.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The Indiana recruit has set team records for homers in a season with 15, quickly surpassing the 10 hit by 2022 graduate Kiley Conner, and in a career with 28, eclipsing the 24 hit by 2017 graduate Alex Hickey.
    Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
  • Charity is of particular importance to the London Marathon, even compared to other races, as this year’s edition broke yet another record, surpassing $118 million.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • Driscoll has been seen by Hegseth’s aides as outshining the Defense secretary on prominent policy initiatives.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
  • The quiet ethic often called Minnesota Nice is outshining the intimidation meant to silence dissent.
    Valeng Cha, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Some states like California have been seeing prices as high as $6 per gallon over the past several days, while Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Alaska contend with average prices topping $5 per gallon.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 4 May 2026
  • Bally’s Chicago hosted a topping-off ceremony yesterday marking the placement of the final beam, a milestone signifying the completion of the structural framework.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • But what has made the confrontation most electrifying is the way in which the pontiff is not just standing up to the president but transcending him.
    Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Trends may come and go at lightning speed, but basics deserve more credit for transcending hype.
    Amber Rambharose, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“One-upping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/one-upping. Accessed 7 May. 2026.

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