accumulate

verb

ac·​cu·​mu·​late ə-ˈkyü-m(y)ə-ˌlāt How to pronounce accumulate (audio)
accumulated; accumulating

transitive verb

: to gather or pile up especially little by little : amass
accumulate a fortune

intransitive verb

: to increase gradually in quantity or number
snow accumulating to a depth of several feet

Examples of accumulate in a Sentence

Evidence of his guilt is accumulating. the number of complaints about that mail order firm is really accumulating
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As debt continues to accumulate, the U.S. increasingly faces the risk of default, which clearly impacted Moody’s decision to downgrade the credit rating. Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025 With shares down more than 34% this year, Tong urged clients to quickly accumulate shares. Michael Bloom, CNBC, 24 May 2025 Archetypal playboy Eddie Irvine has always loved a humble brag, renowned for accumulating a long list boys toys assets after following a successful F1 career. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 24 May 2025 Myeloma starts in the white blood cells, or plasma, according to the Mayo Clinic, and causes cancerous cells to accumulate in bone marrow. Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for accumulate

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin accumulātus, past participle of accumulāre "to heap up, add to, increase," from ad- ad- + cumulāre "to gather into a heap" — more at cumulate

Note: In part a Latinization of Middle French accumuler.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of accumulate was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Accumulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accumulate. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

accumulate

verb
ac·​cu·​mu·​late ə-ˈkyü-myə-ˌlāt How to pronounce accumulate (audio)
accumulated; accumulating
1
: to gather or pile up especially little by little : amass
accumulate a fortune
2
: to increase in quantity, number, or amount
rubbish accumulates quickly

Legal Definition

accumulate

verb
ac·​cu·​mu·​late
accumulated; accumulating

transitive verb

: to gather especially little by little
specifically : to add (income from a fund) back into the principal

intransitive verb

: to increase gradually in amount or number

More from Merriam-Webster on accumulate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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