match-up
Americannoun
-
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.
"I haven't played either this year, so it will be a good match-up to see where I am," she added.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
It is, according to bookmakers, the unlikeliest Super Bowl match-up of modern times.
From Barron's • Feb. 8, 2026
Zverev has proved an awkward match-up for Alcaraz, with the pair evenly splitting their 12 previous meetings.
From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026
For Denver, the match-up comes after a bye week, and offers another chance to prove that one of this season's surprise packages can be the real deal at the business end of the campaign.
From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026
The NFC's other wildcard match-up sees injury-hit San Francisco visit defending champions Philadelphia, who rested most of their starters last Sunday after recovering from a wobble to clinch the NFC East.
From BBC • Jan. 7, 2026
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.
