stack up

verb

stacked up; stacking up; stacks up
Synonyms of stack upnext

intransitive verb

1
: to add up
Cars were beginning to stack up behind the bus.
2
: to be in a particular state or situation
Here's how things stack up today.
3
: measure up, compare
—usually used with against
How does he stack up against the other job candidates?

Synonyms of stack up

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Examples of stack up in a Sentence

those newspapers have been stacking up in the basement since we moved here
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.
Let’s compare how their teams stacked up in the regular season and look at what might be happening for each team in Game 5 tonight. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 The same analysis can reveal how your brand stacks up against competitors on the purchase criteria that shape the category. — Lora Kratchounova, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 There’s a pile of mail waiting for him, stacked up to the height of multiple shoe boxes. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026 How each Breakthrough School stacked up The numbers vary by campus when looking at average attendance across the month and one-day attendance on specific days. — Lina Ruiz october 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stack up

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stack up was in 1896

Rhymes for stack up

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Browse Nearby Words

stack the odds in someone's favor
stack up
stackyard
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stack up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stack%20up. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

stack up

verb
: measure up sense 2, compare
see how you stack up against the champion
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