one-upmanship
4
7.9
- noun
- /ˈwʌnˌʌp.mənˌʃɪp/
:
superioridad
- "During the team meeting, there was an ongoing game of one-upmanship as everyone tried to present the best sales figures."
- game of one-upmanship
Examples
-
The battles between Sam and Rosina were perfect bouts of one-upmanship.
Academic text (1996) -
I think the one-upmanship of "my experience is more valid than yours" is futile and entirely unsupportable.
Blog text (4) -
Every movie seems to be about one-upmanship.
-
And second, situations based on one-upmanship never, ever last.
Fiction book (2000) -
He'll win every battle of one-upmanship.
Fiction book (1995) -
Even the women scientists were playing the one-upmanship game in the name of equality.
Fiction book (1995) -
To the observer, it appeared to be a witty exchange involving one-upmanship.
Academic text (2014) -
The young foxes resented Oliver's one-upmanship style and slyness.
Fiction book (1998) -
Have you noticed the one-upmanship of natural births, breastfeeding, and pram size/brand over their peers' choices?
Blog text (4) -
"In social gatherings, his constant one-upmanship made it hard for others to feel comfortable sharing their stories."
Synonyms
15
4.2
A proud talk about your achievements to impress others
4
9.5
Words that show you think you are better than others without proof
4
9.9
Trying to make yourself seem more important or powerful than you are
1
9.9
A contest where people try to prove they are better by bragging
Showing too much pride when talking about yourself
Talking too proudly about your own success or abilities
Acting in a dramatic way to get attention
Trying to get attention by showing off in a silly or rude way
Antonyms
How Competitive
102
2.8
4
7.9
217
2.1
7
2.8
443
2.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
one-upmanship = one-up (semi-transparent) = up + one + manship
The word is built on the verb 'one-up' with the nominalizing suffix '-manship', but the suffix is playful and only partly productive, so the meaning is not completely regular.
Etymology
One-upmanship comes from the phrase one up, which means 'to get the advantage', plus the ending -manship, used in words like sportsmanship and showmanship to mean a kind of skill or habit. So one-upmanship is the habit or 'skill' of always trying to 'be one better' than someone else.