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?

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.
Several things are stacking up for younger borrowers, according to Rossman. Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026 The Benefits of Eating Rotisserie Chicken Here’s how rotisserie chicken stacks up nutritionally, plus its biggest benefits. Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 1 Sep. 2026 Users who stacked up more metal discs to make more powerful piles found the weight of the discs squeezed out the moisture in the paper or cloth. IEEE Spectrum, 31 Aug. 2026 Substantial interest earnings will stack up quickly for savers who open a $100,000 9-month CD account now. Matt Richardson, CBS News, 27 Aug. 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

Cite this Entry

“Stack up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stack%20up. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

stack up

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