pulled off an upset

USAGE SUMMARY

"pulled off an upset" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to describe a surprising or unexpected victory or achievement. You can use this phrase in a sentence in a variety of contexts, some examples are: - The underdog team pulled off an upset, beating the reigning champions in the final minutes of the game. - The little-known actress pulled off an upset and won the Oscar for Best Actress. - Despite the odds, the rookie politician pulled off an upset and won the election against the incumbent. - The student pulled off an upset and received the highest score in the class, much to the surprise of their classmates. - The underdog candidate pulled off an upset, defeating the established politician in the primary election.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Politics

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

OpTic Gaming pulled off an upset, thrilling the crowd.

The New Yorker

The plan worked, and Philadelphia nearly pulled off an upset.

The New York Times - Sports

Already, her main rivals pulled off an upset in regional elections this weekend in Lower Saxony.

The New York Times

He pulled off an upset victory prompted partly by the disclosure of videos showing abuse of prison inmates.

The New York Times

The Democrat Kathy Hochul pulled off an upset win in yesterday's special election in upstate New York.

The New Yorker

But that changed in 2005, when England pulled off an upset that pushed soccer off the London tabloids' back pages.

The New York Times - Sports

In a district in which registered Republicans outnumber Democrats almost two to one, Campa-Najjar almost pulled off an upset.

The Washington Post

In Howard County, Oakland Mills pulled off an upset win over Glenelg to capture its first county title since 2015.

The Washington Post

A.C.C. -- North Carolina State pulled off an upset for the second day in a row, beating Virginia, 79-71.

The New York Times

But the Romney campaign was slow to pivot from demolishing Gingrich to fending off Santorum, and the former Pennsylvania senator pulled off an upset in Colorado as well.

The New York Times

And yet, in a state where Scott P. Brown, a Republican, pulled off an upset victory for the Senate in 2010, no one is counting Mr. Gomez out.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pulled off an upset" to describe a situation where an underdog or less favored entity achieves an unexpected victory or success. This phrase works well in contexts like sports, politics, or business where competition and expectations are involved.

Common error

Avoid using "pulled off an upset" in situations where the victory was expected or where the achievement is minor. The phrase is best reserved for genuinely surprising outcomes.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pulled off an upset" functions as a verb phrase, acting as the predicate of a sentence. It describes the action of unexpectedly achieving a victory. Ludwig confirms that it is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Sports

25%

Politics

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "pulled off an upset" is a versatile and commonly used expression that describes an unexpected victory. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and suitable for diverse contexts, particularly in news, sports, and politics. The phrase highlights the surprising nature of an achievement and is most effective when the outcome defies expectations. While appropriate for formal writing, considering alternatives like "achieved a surprise victory" may be preferable in highly academic or scientific settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

achieved a surprise victory

Replaces "pulled off" with "achieved" and "upset" with "surprise victory".

scored an unexpected win

Uses "scored" instead of "pulled off" and "unexpected win" for "upset".

triumphed against the odds

Emphasizes the difficulty of the victory by adding "against the odds".

overcame expectations to win

Focuses on surpassing expectations rather than just winning.

defied expectations and won

Similar to the previous one, but using a stronger verb "defied".

managed a stunning win

Highlights the surprise nature of the victory using "stunning".

emerged victorious unexpectedly

Rephrases the entire expression with a more descriptive tone.

clinched an improbable victory

Implies the victory was unlikely, using "improbable".

secured an unlikely win

Similar to the previous one, but uses "unlikely" instead of "improbable".

pulled a rabbit out of a hat

Idiomatic expression for achieving something unexpected through unconventional means.

FAQs

How can I use "pulled off an upset" in a sentence?

You can use "pulled off an upset" to describe when someone unexpectedly wins against a stronger opponent or achieves an unlikely goal. For example: "The underdog team "pulled off an upset", defeating the reigning champions".

What's a similar expression to "pulled off an upset"?

Alternatives to "pulled off an upset" include "achieved a surprise victory", "scored an unexpected win", or "triumphed against the odds".

Is it appropriate to use "pulled off an upset" in formal writing?

Yes, "pulled off an upset" is appropriate for use in formal writing, especially in news reporting or analytical contexts. However, consider using more formal alternatives like "achieved a surprise victory" in highly academic or scientific papers.

What makes a victory qualify as "pulling off an upset"?

A victory qualifies as ""pulled off an upset"" when the winner was significantly less favored or expected to win. This is often based on prior performance, rankings, or expert predictions.