building

1 of 2

noun

build·​ing ˈbil-diŋ 

1

: a usually roofed and walled structure built for permanent use (as for a dwelling)

2

: the art or business of assembling materials into a structure

building

2 of 2

present participle of build entry 1

Synonyms of building

Noun

• structure
• house
• edifice

Examples of building in a Sentence

Noun

My office is in that small brick building.

We bought the land for building.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the port city of Mokha, residents said rockets hit several buildings, including a hospital. — Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026

Brian Schottenheimer wasn’t quite defeated at his press conference last Monday after the 23-13 loss to Green Bay, but the head coach realized how low the morale was around the building. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026

The building’s size has accommodated the installation of large-scale architectural holdings, including a three-story section of the concrete façade of Robin Hood Gardens, an influential brutalist public-housing project in East London. — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

Half the electricians told us demand from data centers is climbing, the exact buildings major tech companies are racing to put up. — Alok Chanani, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bildyng, buldyng, from bilden, buylden, bulden "to build entry 1" + -yng -ing entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing building

• apartment building
• building block
• building society
• sick building syndrome
• team building
• world building

Rhymes for building

• gilding
• boatbuilding
• outbuilding
• rebuilding
• roadbuilding
• shipbuilding
• upbuilding
• bodybuilding

Kids Definition

building

noun

build·​ing ˈbil-diŋ 

1

: a permanent structure built as a dwelling, shelter, or place for human activity or for storage

an office building

2

: the art, work, or business of assembling materials into a structure