stack up

verb

stacked up; stacking up; stacks up

intransitive verb

1

: to add up : total

2

: measure up, compare

—usually used with against

Synonyms

• approach
• approximate
• compare (with)
• measure up (to)

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

But over the years, competition stacked up at Walmart, Target, Spirit Halloween and especially online sellers such as Amazon. —Juliana Kim, NPR, 21 Dec. 2024

Dawn Staley stacks up with any SEC coach in any sport. —Marc Weiszer, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

In Conversation Award nominations already are stacking up for Timothée Chalamet, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Karla Sofía Gascón and Angelina Jolie among others, and Universal is joyful about its $500 million-plus grosses for Wicked. —Peter Bart, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2024

But how does your playing strategy stack up against Artificial Intelligence (AI)? —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

stack up

verb

: measure up sense 2, compare

see how you stack up against the champion