one-upmanship
noun [ U ] disapproving uk/ˌwʌnˈʌp.mən.ʃɪp/ us/ˌwʌnˈʌp.mən.ʃɪp/
胜人一筹的本事
a situation in which someone does or says something in order to prove that they are better than someone else
Officials complain of his habit of one-upmanship when arranging events with other ministers.
The researchers discovered that moving among certain social groups involves participating in constant one-upmanship .
- More examples
- The public will soon get tired of this one-upmanship.
- Behind the competition and one-upmanship that had always existed between them, there was solid friendship.
- One-upmanship was the deciding factor when it came to how high they went.