one-upping
Topping someone's achievement
One-upping is the act of outdoing someone, typically by topping their story, achievement, or possession with something supposedly better: Every time I mention a vacation, he starts one-upping me with his travel stories.
The practice carries a competitive, often annoying quality—the one-upper seems more interested in winning than conversing.
Ongoing contest between opponents
- outdoExceed in achievement
- surpassExceed in achievement
- excelSurpass all others
- vyingCompeting eagerly for something
contest · outdoing · topping · besting · defeating · trumping · outshining · outperforming
Excessive self-praise
- swaggerConfident, boastful manner
- showboatingOstentatious self-display
- grandstandingPerforming to impress onlookers
- gloatingSmug triumph display
puffery · self-promotion · name-dropping · humble-brag · trumpeting · bluster · smugness · showing-off
Pursuing higher position
- comparisonAssessment of similarities
- envyResentful longing for another's
- jealousyResentful desire for another's advantages
- resentmentPersistent bitter displeasure
pettiness · insecurity · validation-seeking · attention-seeking · competitiveness · materialism · outdoing · hierarchy
Attitude of casual disregard
- condescensionDemeaning air of superiority
- belittlingExpressing contempt or dismissiveness
- underminingWeakening by covert means
- invalidatingMaking something null
overshadowing · interrupting · correcting · contradicting · patronizing · snubbing · hijacking · derailing
Increase in degree
- heighteningIncreasing in degree
- snowballingIncreasing by rapid accumulation
- tit-for-tatEquivalent retaliation strategy
- ratchetingIncremental one-directional movement
amplification · spiraling · mounting · buildup · compounding · outdoing · topping · brinkmanship
rivalry
Ongoing contest between opponents
vying · contest · outdoing · topping · besting · defeating · trumping · outshining · outperforming · outmaneuvering
bragging
Excessive self-praise
- swaggerConfident, boastful manner
- showboatingOstentatious self-display
- grandstandingPerforming to impress onlookers
gloating · puffery · self-promotion · name-dropping · humble-brag · trumpeting · bluster · smugness · showing-off · flexing
status-seeking
Pursuing higher position
- comparisonAssessment of similarities
- envyResentful longing for another's
- jealousyResentful desire for another's advantages
resentment · pettiness · insecurity · validation-seeking · attention-seeking · competitiveness · materialism · outdoing · hierarchy · scene-stealing
dismissiveness
Attitude of casual disregard
- condescensionDemeaning air of superiority
- belittlingExpressing contempt or dismissiveness
- underminingWeakening by covert means
invalidating · overshadowing · interrupting · correcting · contradicting · patronizing · snubbing · hijacking · derailing · minimizing
intensification
Increase in degree
- heighteningIncreasing in degree
- snowballingIncreasing by rapid accumulation
- tit-for-tatEquivalent retaliation strategy
ratcheting · amplification · spiraling · mounting · buildup · compounding · outdoing · topping · brinkmanship
- bad behaviorcheating, stealing, lying, greed, selfishness
- ego displaysarrogance, vanity, boasting, showboating, braggadocio
- sibling rivalrybickering, fighting, arguing, teasing, tattling
- slang behaviorsgoofing off, messing around, fooling around, horsing around, slacking
- acting outtantrums, tantrum, meltdowns, pouting, whining
- annoying behaviorsnagging, pestering, bothering, irritating, aggravating
one-uppingself-deprecation
Belittling oneself deliberately
humility · deference · modesty · self-effacement · playing down
one-uppingcongratulating
Expressing joy at success
praising · applauding · celebrating · admiring · validating
one-uppingsupporting
Bearing or sustaining
uplifting · building up · encouraging · boosting · giving credit
upper, uplift, upgrade, one-upped, upping, one-up, one-upmanship