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 But the warm-up that occurred around Christmas Day thawed any ice that had accumulated. Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024 These tenacious growers cling to the trunk or limb of a tree and gather moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, and debris that accumulates around their root zones. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Mar. 2024 The report laid out concerns and warning signs about Card, many of which have been previously reported, that accumulated in the months before his attack. Justine McDaniel, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 But around 4-6 months of age, infants will begin to run out of iron stores that accumulated during pregnancy, says Rodenas. Lainey Younkin, Ms, Rd, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024 The news of his departure, after nearly 15 years in the limelight, garnered widespread attention, with his retirement announcement video accumulating 19 million views. Diego Ramos Bechara, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 Spices can accumulate lead from other sources in the environment, such as leaded gasoline or other pollution. Jonel Aleccia, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024 According to Billboard, this is the first time Usher, Ludacris and Lil Jon have all had a song that accumulated 1 billion Spotify streams. Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 While stomachs are empty, Muslims practice self-control while taking advantage of this month to accumulate blessings and spiritual discipline. The Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'accumulate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near accumulate

Cite this Entry

“Accumulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accumulate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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

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