accumulate
verb
ac·cu·mu·late
ə-ˈkyü-m(y)ə-ˌlāt 
accumulated; accumulating
: to gather or pile up especially little by little : amass
accumulate a fortune
: 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
Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
—
Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2025
Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory argues that small, positive emotions accumulate over time to expand our mental and relational resources.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
So much sediment had accumulated that, had it been removed in its entirety, that section of the river would have been an unnatural 15 feet deep — and wouldn’t have been able to support life at the bottom, according to Stork.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
After that came 20 games, transverse process fractures in his back, an ankle injury and the accumulating wear and tear of what amounted to an 18-month sprint.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for accumulate
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Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2025
Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory argues that small, positive emotions accumulate over time to expand our mental and relational resources.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
So much sediment had accumulated that, had it been removed in its entirety, that section of the river would have been an unnatural 15 feet deep — and wouldn’t have been able to support life at the bottom, according to Stork.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
After that came 20 games, transverse process fractures in his back, an ankle injury and the accumulating wear and tear of what amounted to an 18-month sprint.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for accumulate
Cite this Entry
“Accumulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accumulate. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
accumulate
verb
ac·cu·mu·late
ə-ˈkyü-myə-ˌlāt
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
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