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

Snow is headed for the Denver area Monday morning and this time multiple inches could stack up in the city, according to the National Weather Service. —Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 3 Nov. 2024

Where does this one stack up in the unfortunately long history of Bears heartbreakers? —Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2024

Here’s how Erie stacks up against two leaders in the auto insurance space. —Brian Sloan, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2024

In a year full of excellent horror films, how does Don’t Move stack up? —Paul Tassi, Forbes, 28 Oct. 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