one-up

1 of 2

verb

ˌwən-ˈəp How to pronounce one-up (audio)
ˈwən-
one-upped; one-upping; one-ups
Synonyms of one-upnext

transitive verb

: to practice one-upmanship on
always trying to one-up each other by buying the latest gadgets

one up

2 of 2

adjective

: being in a position of advantage
—usually used with on
He finished his assignment early, which put him one up on me.

Examples of one-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Paige, who used to play in professional tournaments, pushes the putt only to be one-upped by her partner who pulls her putt to the left. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026 Alongside Kardashian, Watts, Nash-Betts and Paulson, the series stars Teyana Taylor, Matthew Noszka and Glenn Close, who all one-up each other with deliriously absurd lines of dialogue. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026 The Grammy-winning artist posted a photo from his private jet looking out into the clouds, vowing to make a play to one-up Drizzy and win Karol G back. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026 Regardless, Hubbard, who still stays in touch with his former teammate, said surpassing McCaffrey in rushing yards wouldn’t even warrant a playful one-up text. — Will Dehmel october 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for one-up

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from one-upmanship

First Known Use

Verb

1963, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-up was in 1919

Rhymes for one-up

See All Rhymes for one-up

Browse Nearby Words

one-two
one-up
one up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“One-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-up. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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