one-upmanship

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By the mid-20th century, World’s Fairs had become games of one-upmanship and geopolitical rivalry.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

That kind of provocative behavior will lead to years, even a lifetime, of one-upmanship, backbiting and behind-the-scenes maneuvers.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 3, 2025

Jason, who was capped for England, jokingly replied: "It’s always like one-upmanship on who can get hurt the worst."

From BBC • Sep. 2, 2024

The NBA these past few weeks has featured an almost nightly display of one-upmanship among the game’s greatest scorers.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 10, 2023

Gunters loved to play the game of one-upmanship and were constantly trying to prove they had acquired more obscure knowledge than everyone else.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline