1
as in scoring
to gain (as points or runs in a game) as credit towards one's total number of points
having racked up a huge number of points in the short program, the figure skater would have to have a disastrous long program in order to miss out on a medal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in achieving
to obtain (as a goal) through effort
racked up their second consecutive Super Bowl victory
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of racking up
Before this year’s telecast, that movie’s director, Paul Thomas Anderson, had set a record in futility by racking up 11 Oscar nominations without a win, said Sam Adams in Slate.
—
The Week Us, TheWeek, 23 Mar. 2026
Tulsa took the lead for good less than 2 1/2 minutes into the game and the score was 36-24 at halftime, with Popoola racking up nine points.
—ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026
Spotify’s interactive iDJ feature, introduced in 2023, has roughly 90 million subscribers using it as of the most recent earnings report, with users racking up over four billion hours of time spent on the app.
—Trevor Laurence Jockims, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2026
Strictly within the realm of football, Kelce is one of the most recognizable athletes in the country’s most-popular sport after racking up 11 selections to the Pro Bowl and the eighth-most catches (1,080) in NFL history.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 9 Mar. 2026
The safety blossomed during his six seasons with the Steelers, racking up five Pro Bowls and three All-Pros.
—Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
Kachel said Vank’s signature moment so far with the Plainsmen came in the regular season finale last season, when Vank baffled Western Nebraska Community College with eight innings of shutout ball, scattering three hits while racking up 10 strikeouts.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2026
The Bobcats did their damage in the fifth inning, racking up four runs on a series of four hits, capped off with a two-RBI double from outfielder Harley Vestal.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 1 Mar. 2026
The Week Us, TheWeek, 23 Mar. 2026
Tulsa took the lead for good less than 2 1/2 minutes into the game and the score was 36-24 at halftime, with Popoola racking up nine points.
—ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026
Spotify’s interactive iDJ feature, introduced in 2023, has roughly 90 million subscribers using it as of the most recent earnings report, with users racking up over four billion hours of time spent on the app.
—Trevor Laurence Jockims, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2026
Strictly within the realm of football, Kelce is one of the most recognizable athletes in the country’s most-popular sport after racking up 11 selections to the Pro Bowl and the eighth-most catches (1,080) in NFL history.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 9 Mar. 2026
The safety blossomed during his six seasons with the Steelers, racking up five Pro Bowls and three All-Pros.
—Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
Kachel said Vank’s signature moment so far with the Plainsmen came in the regular season finale last season, when Vank baffled Western Nebraska Community College with eight innings of shutout ball, scattering three hits while racking up 10 strikeouts.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 2 Mar. 2026
The Bobcats did their damage in the fifth inning, racking up four runs on a series of four hits, capped off with a two-RBI double from outfielder Harley Vestal.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 1 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racking up
Verb
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Kevin Durant fueled the Rockets' (43-28) comeback by scoring 15 of his game-high 40 points in the fourth quarter.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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After helping Sweden win the goal medal at the world junior championships in January, Frondell finished strong with Djurgardens, scoring in 10 of 18 regular-season games before his team was eliminated Saturday in a first-round playoff series.—
Matt Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Even if one accepts that perfectly reasonable people are happy to live in a bubble with strangers for months in hopes of achieving love, fame or a cash prize, someone inevitably is cast to bring the crazy, er, conversation-sparking personality.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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When learning how to straighten curly hair at home, protecting your hair’s health is just as important as achieving a sleek final look.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Frederiksen's Social Democrats received the most votes and were seen winning 38 seats in Denmark's 179-seat parliament, results published early Wednesday showed, compared with 50 seats four years earlier.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
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The Knicks have feasted on a soft part of their schedule, beating Indiana twice, Utah, Brooklyn and Washington during the winning streak, which came entirely against teams with losing records.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Liz Breadon, now the City Council president, added at the time that such a mistake could jeopardize an immigrant’s chances of attaining full citizenship.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Oakland’s leaders envision their town attaining similar big-city status.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Beam credited his team’s execution in gaining a split.—
Mike Waters,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Mar. 2026
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Importantly, research in LEO also serves as an essential stepping stone for gaining the knowledge NASA needs to keep its astronauts safe on journeys deeper into the cosmos.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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My mom’s team had at least given me a heftier brochure featuring tasteful photographs of lilacs; this one was literally stapled together, with cartoonish drawings like the ones on airplane safety cards that show your aircraft making a pleasant water landing.—
Amanda Peet,
New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2026
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Psychological readiness is an important factor in safe return to play and reinjury risk, making gradual exposure through both imagery and real-world practice, along with open discussion and validation of fear, essential parts of recovery.—
Ian McMahan,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Racking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racking%20up. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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