stack up

Idioms  

1. Measure up, equal, as in Their gift doesn't stack up against mine . This usage alludes to piling up one's chips at poker, and comparing them to those of the other players. [Early 1900s]

2. Make sense, seem plausible, as in Her explanation just doesn't stack up . Also see add up , def. 2.

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Example Sentences

But a new tournament will show how they stack up against USA’s flag football squad.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the endgame remains elusive—and the obstacles keep stacking up.

From The Wall Street Journal

Moreover, at the point where it should be winding down, it instead stacks up an ungainly pile of endings; I would have cut maybe 20 minutes.

From The Wall Street Journal

High in the sky, thin white clouds were stacking up like petals.

From Literature

Here’s how it stacks up to its pricier sibling, the MacBook Air, and some key competitors.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• accelerate
• advance
• ascend
• build
• climb
• double
• expand
• go up
• improve
• lift
• move up
• multiply
• pick up
• raise
• soar
• swell