match-up
Americannoun
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a pairing or combining; linkage.
a match-up of federal funds with state aid.
-
a direct contest or confrontation, as between two athletes or political candidates.
-
an investigation of similarities and differences; comparison.
a match-up of property taxes in two counties.
Etymology
Origin of match-up
First recorded in 1960–65; noun use of verb phrase match up
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.
They suspect that a footmark where Jonathan said his father fell did not match up with someone slipping and falling.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
“So we should be pretty diverse. We should be able to match up pretty well against a lot of different looks we get.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026
The lending numbers in the marketing presentation didn’t match up with figures in MFS’s financial reports to the U.K. government.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
Korda seized a 5-2 lead in the final tie-break and served for the match up 5-4, but sent two forehands long and Fritz blasted a service winner on the final point for the triumph.
From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026
The divisions of the 1790s did not match up with Jefferson's categories, either, since those supporting and those opposing a more powerful national government had all been good Whigs.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
