noun
Uncommon
matchup
MAT-shuhp
Matchup (noun) means a pairing of two competitors, teams, or things, especially for a contest. Example: “Fans have been waiting years for this championship matchup.”
noun
1
A pairing of two competitors, teams, or things, especially for a contest.
"The highly anticipated all-American matchup between Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe — marking the first US Open semifinals between two US men in nearly 20 years — will cost you quite a few Honey Deuces to attend."
— Jordan Valinsky, Ticket prices for the all-American men’s matchup at the US Open are surging (2024)
"Fans have been waiting years for this championship matchup."
"That’s broadly consistent with the Real Clear Politics average of all general election matchups between the two; RCP shows Biden with an average of a 6-point lead over Sanders."
— Chris Cillizza, Why Joe Biden starts as the general election front-runner (2020)
How to use matchup
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWho's facing off against whom, especially in sports or competition.
Common pairings
dream matchup
tough matchup
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Word forms
- Plural
- matchups
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Fans have been waiting years for this championship _____.
Etymology
A deverbal formed from match up.
Synonyms
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match-up
Frequently asked questions
What does “matchup” mean?
The word “matchup” means a pairing of two competitors, teams, or things, especially for a contest. In plain terms, who's facing off against whom, especially in sports or competition.
How do you pronounce “matchup”?
“Matchup” is pronounced MAT-shuhp (/ˈmæt͡ʃʌp/ in IPA).
How do you use “matchup” in a sentence?
Here is “matchup” used in a sentence: “Fans have been waiting years for this championship matchup.”
What part of speech is “matchup”?
“Matchup” is a noun.
Is “matchup” a common word?
“Matchup” is an uncommon word in modern English.
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