trade up

verb

To gain value on the stock exchange.

Opposite
trade down
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Meanings

verbtrade up (third-person singular simple present trades up, present participle trading up, simple past and past participle traded up)

present singular third person trades up · participle present trading up · participle past traded up · past traded up

  1. businessTo gain value on the stock exchange.
  2. To sell something and replace it with something more expensive.

    programmes like Ren and Stimpy and Rocko's Modern Life aimed at a younger audience also capitalize on this desire to trade up.

    2001, Elizabeth Bullen, Jane Kenway, Consuming Children, Education, Entertainment, Advertising, page 73
  3. hobbiesTo exchange a lower selection in a player draft for a higher one.

    One of the few surprises saw the New York Giants take offensive tackle Andrew Thomas at number four while the Buccaneers traded up to 13 for offensive tackle Tristian Wirfs to give some protection to their new quarterback Brady.

    2020 April 24, “NFL draft 2020: Joe Burrow first pick for Cincinnati Bengals”, in BBC Sport

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
trade down
Cite this entry
APA

trade up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trade%20up

MLA

“trade up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trade%20up. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “trade up,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trade%20up.

Source: trade up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.