upmanship
Competitive edge-seeking
Upmanship is the art or practice of gaining psychological advantage over others, typically through subtle one-upmanship or strategic social maneuvering.
The word is a back-formation from one-upmanship, often used interchangeably with it: His constant upmanship made casual conversations feel like competitions.
Ongoing contest between opponents
- contestOrganized competitive event
- outdoingSurpassing in performance
- outperformingDoing better than others
- bestingOvercoming in competition
trumping · topping · outshining · eclipsing · surpassing · outclassing · defeating · winning
Winning without cheating outright
- brinkmanshipPushing conflicts to disaster's threshold
- outmaneuveringDefeating through superior tactics
- posturingInsincere behavior for effect
- schemingCrafty and calculating
strategizing · manipulation · calculated · cunning · sly · craftiness · maneuvering · ploy
Higher rank or quality
- ascendancyDominant power or influence
- preeminenceSuperior status above others
- supremacyHighest rank or power
- masteryComplete skill or control
control · authority · leverage · power play · pecking order · alpha · top dog · kingpin
Pursuing higher position
- name-droppingCiting connections for status
- humble-braggingFalse modesty masking pride
- snobbishnessPretentious sense of superiority
- pretensionUnwarranted claim to merit
showing off · peacocking · flaunting · grandstanding · boasting · preening · self-promotion · social climbing
Deliberate fear-inducing pressure
- mind gamesPsychological manipulation tactics
- outsmartingDefeating through superior intelligence
- outwittingDefeating by cleverness
- underminingWeakening by covert means
belittling · condescension · put-down · needling · goading · provocation · passive-aggression · ego
rivalry
Ongoing contest between opponents
- contestOrganized competitive event
- outdoingSurpassing in performance
- outperformingDoing better than others
besting · trumping · topping · outshining · eclipsing · surpassing · outclassing · defeating · winning · scoring
gamesmanship
Winning without cheating outright
- brinkmanshipPushing conflicts to disaster's threshold
- outmaneuveringDefeating through superior tactics
- posturingInsincere behavior for effect
scheming · strategizing · manipulation · calculated · cunning · sly · craftiness · maneuvering · ploy · gambit
superiority
Higher rank or quality
- ascendancyDominant power or influence
- preeminenceSuperior status above others
- supremacyHighest rank or power
mastery · control · authority · leverage · power play · pecking order · alpha · top dog · kingpin · dominion
status-seeking
Pursuing higher position
- name-droppingCiting connections for status
- humble-braggingFalse modesty masking pride
- snobbishnessPretentious sense of superiority
pretension · showing off · peacocking · flaunting · grandstanding · boasting · preening · self-promotion · social climbing · keeping up with the Joneses
intimidation
Deliberate fear-inducing pressure
- mind gamesPsychological manipulation tactics
- outsmartingDefeating through superior intelligence
- outwittingDefeating by cleverness
undermining · belittling · condescension · put-down · needling · goading · provocation · passive-aggression · ego · insecurity
upmanshipgraciousness
Courteous, kind demeanor
magnanimity · humility · modesty · self-effacement · self-deprecation
upmanshipdeference
Yielding to another's judgment
yielding · submission · self-deprecation · capitulation · acquiescence