upmanship

[ uhp-muhn-ship ]

noun

1. one-upmanship.

Word History and Origins

Origin of upmanship¹

First recorded in 1960–65; shortening of one-upmanship

Example Sentences

The duo often engages in silly games of comedy one-upmanship, resulting in some truly hilarious impersonations.

From The Daily Beast

Too often we focus on one-upmanship and demonization of those whose points of view are different from our own.

From The Daily Beast

And both are studded with rococo set pieces of ruthless masculine one-upmanship.

From The Daily Beast

The gesture strikes me as hostile, and vaguely chauvinistic; how pathetic, I think, that his impulse is one-upmanship.

From The Daily Beast

A call girl's idea of one-upmanship—which is far more beneficial to the men she sees—is being more discreet than the next girl.

From The Daily Beast