run up the score

verb

To engage in the practice – usually by coaching decision – of scoring more points than needed in a one-sided contest.

“The old-school coach felt that his team's weak opponent had no business playing his strong team, so he decided to run up the score.”

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Meanings

verbrun up the score (third-person singular simple present runs up the score, present participle running up the score, simple past ran up the score, past participle run up the score)

present singular third person runs up the score · participle present running up the score · past ran up the score

  1. To engage in the practice – usually by coaching decision – of scoring more points than needed in a one-sided contest.

    The old-school coach felt that his team's weak opponent had no business playing his strong team, so he decided to run up the score.

Cite this entry
APA

run up the score. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/run%20up%20the%20score

MLA

“run up the score.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/run%20up%20the%20score. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “run up the score,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/run%20up%20the%20score.

Source: run up the score on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.