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

Relevance
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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.
The Iran war has made financing Gulf solar and wind projects more difficult, but the economics still stack up firmly in their favor. — Dominic Dudley, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2026 How does that stack up to the rest of the Ted Lasso seasons before this? — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 How does the rotation stack up, and where does Kris Bubic fit? — Katie Woo, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Down each side of the stage were taller poles with individual spotlights stacked up. — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 3 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

Rhymes for stack up

See All Rhymes for stack up

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 9 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

stack up

verb
: measure up sense 2, compare
see how you stack up against the champion
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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