trade up

verb

traded up; trading up; trades up

intransitive verb

1
: to trade in (something, such as an automobile) for something more expensive or valuable of its kind
2
: to stock or purchase higher-priced items

Examples of trade 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.
Getting an elite talent (Abdul Carter) in that slot and still getting the draft’s next quarterback later (Jaxson Dart at No. 25, after trading up) was seen as a victory for the process. Mike Sando, New York Times, 2 May 2025 After trading up to the No. 144 overall pick, the Browns brought in their second quarterback of the 2025 class. Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025 Poles pressed the gas and made aggressive attempts to trade up. Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2025 The lowdown: The Jaguars trading up to select Hunter was a stunning development in the first round, but it would soon be swept away by the story of Shedeur Sanders’ shocking fall. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for trade up

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of trade up was in 1905

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trade up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade%20up. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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