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• one up
  one up

  adjective

  having gained an advantage in some way that betokens success, especially over rivals.
• one-up
  one-up

  verb (used with object)

  to get the better of; succeed in being a point, move, step, etc., ahead of (someone).

one up

¹ American  

adjective

1. having gained an advantage in some way that betokens success, especially over rivals.

2. leading an opponent by one point or one scoring unit.

   The home team was one up on the visitors.

3. one each; tied at a score of one.

   The score was one up in the ninth inning.

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adverb

1. Printing. with only one reproduction of a form per sheet or on a given sheet.

   We must print this job one up.

2. Journalism. using one more column of space than of type.

one-up ² American  

[wuhn-uhp] / ˈwʌnˈʌp /

verb (used with object)

one-upped, one-upping

1. to get the better of; succeed in being a point, move, step, etc., ahead of (someone).

   They one-upped the competition.

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one-up British  

adjective

1. informal having or having scored an advantage or lead over someone or something

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one up Idioms  

1. Having an advantage or lead over someone, as in Sara is one up on Jane because she passed algebra in summer school. This expression comes from sports, where it means to be one point ahead of one's opponents. It was transferred to more general use about 1920.

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Etymology

Origin of one up¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Origin of one-up²

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

If you don’t splurge on an airport lei greeting, pick one up at a local Target.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Here, the latter instinct won out: No federal law prevents Hencely from suing Fluor under South Carolina law, and courts should not dream one up based on their subjective sense that it’s a good idea.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2026

“When you put one up against the other, in most cases, people say EB-5 makes a lot more sense,” he told Barron’s.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

When Donatelli, a lifelong Steelers fan, first placed helmets in front of her, she picked one up and chucked it across the room.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2026

“A force field. They’ve set one up between the Gamemakers and us. I wonder what brought that on,” Beetee says.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins