one-upmanship

noun
UK: /ˌwʌn.ʌp.mən.ʃɪp/
US: /ˌwʌn.ʌp.mən.ʃɪp/

  1. The practice of trying to appear better than someone else.

    1. Their one-upmanship made the meeting very annoying for everyone.
    2. The constant one-upmanship between colleagues created a toxic work environment that decreased overall productivity.

  2. Acts or instances of behaving in a way that shows you are better or more knowledgeable than someone else.

    1. He tried one-upmanship to impress her, but it failed badly.
    2. The siblings' rivalry often involved subtle one-upmanship, each attempting to outdo the other in achievements.

Synonyms

rivalry competition

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "one-upmanship" in English means: The practice of trying to appear better than someone else., Acts or instances of behaving in a way that shows you are better or more knowledgeable than someone else..

The phonetic transcription of "one-upmanship" is /ˌwʌn.ʌp.mən.ʃɪp/ in British English and /ˌwʌn.ʌp.mən.ʃɪp/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "one-upmanship": rivalry, competition.

Example usage of "one-upmanship": "Their one-upmanship made the meeting very annoying for everyone.". More examples on the page.