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
In an interview with The Associated Press last month, she’d said that building relationships with small Pacific nations shouldn’t become a game of one-upmanship with China.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 18, 2023
Fear, uncertainty, and one-upmanship became key ingredients of this new approach to warfare.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
