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stack up

B2 neutral separable both
In simple words

To build up in a pile, or to see how good something is compared to something else

Literal meaning: To place items one on top of another, forming a stack

Meanings

1 B1 neutral

To accumulate or be arranged in a growing pile

"The unread emails were stacking up while she was away on holiday."

Grammar: inseparable
2 B2 idiomatic neutral

To compare with someone or something else in terms of quality, performance, or merit

"How does the new model stack up against last year's version?"

Grammar: inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic informal

To make sense or to be logically consistent (chiefly American English)

"His alibi doesn't stack up — three different witnesses contradict his story."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

Has a clear literal sense (physically stacking things) and a very common figurative sense meaning to compare. 'How does X stack up against Y?' is a very common construction. Also used to mean 'to make sense' or 'to be consistent' in American English ('the numbers don't stack up').

Commonly used with

competition rivals comparison evidence costs problems

Forms

Base
stack up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
stacks up
he/she/it
Past simple
stacked up
yesterday
Past participle
stacked up
have + pp
-ing form
stacking up
continuous

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Synonyms

compare measure up accumulate pile up build up mount up

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