1
: something produced by building up
fluid buildup in the lungs
2
: the act or process of building up
built up; building up; builds up
1
: to develop gradually by increments
building up endurance
built up a library
2
: to promote the health, strength, esteem, or reputation of
: to accumulate or develop appreciably
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Noun
There is a big traffic buildup on the highway.
You should clean the mechanism regularly to prevent buildup of dirt.
Both players were given big buildups before the game.
Verb
static electricity built up on the cat's fur
the roller coaster built up momentum
Recent Examples on the Web
Lisa Sanders, M.d., New York Times, 16 May 2023
According to the study, those include precipitation and snowpack conditions and prescribed burns and fire suppression efforts that have led to a buildup of vegetation that help fuel fires.
—Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 16 May 2023
The pressure from the gas buildup eventually cracks the electrodes and makes the battery fail.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 May 2023
During the coronavirus pandemic, a moratorium on trials led to a buildup of cases that pushed many public defenders beyond ethical standards.
—Will Langhorne, Arkansas Online, 14 May 2023
Risk factors that increase your risk for stroke Several risk factors contribute to the buildup of plaque (or cholesterol) within the arteries, which increases the chance of blood clotting.
—USA TODAY, 11 May 2023
The buildup to the event has added to the intense environment Google workers have found themselves in after their bosses sent out orders to redouble their efforts on AI in December, after OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot became an instant phenomenon.
—Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 9 May 2023
The skin on the body is much drier than that on your face; on top of that, parts of your body (like your hands, elbows, knees, and feet) are extremely susceptible to textural problems due to dryness or buildup of dead skin.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 1 May 2023
GnRHas, when used as puberty blockers or for endometriosis, are known to limit the buildup of bone mineral density, raising concerns about bone fractures.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 1 May 2023
Brigitt Earley, Good Housekeeping, 15 Apr. 2023
Japan is aggressively building up its defense capability in its southwestern islands in response to China’s increasingly assertive military activity in the region, including near Taiwan.
—Mari Yamaguchi, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Apr. 2023
Without insulin, sugar can build up in the bloodstream and break down the body’s own fat and muscle.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 7 Apr. 2023
Whatever bond had been built up would have been broken.
—Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2023
Alijah Martin, a sophomore guard, led Florida Atlantic with 26 points and added 7 rebounds, helping the Owls build up what seemed to be an insurmountable 14-point lead in the second half.
—Andrew Keh, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2023
Athletes could be built up as heroes and villains whom onlookers would pay to see triumph or fail; conclusions could be contrived in controversial ways that might encourage the crowd to buy tickets for a rematch.
—Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2023
Psoriasis is a condition that causes dead skin cells to build up on one another instead of falling out, which can create dry, itchy, and even painful patches of skin.
—Daley Quinn, Health, 29 Mar. 2023
The issue was simply whether he would be built up enough after a slow start to the spring.
—Evan Grant, Dallas News, 24 Mar. 2023
See More
Noun
The color came from a buildup of something known as bilirubin, a breakdown product of red blood cells.
—Lisa Sanders, M.d., New York Times, 16 May 2023
According to the study, those include precipitation and snowpack conditions and prescribed burns and fire suppression efforts that have led to a buildup of vegetation that help fuel fires.
—Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 16 May 2023
The pressure from the gas buildup eventually cracks the electrodes and makes the battery fail.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 May 2023
During the coronavirus pandemic, a moratorium on trials led to a buildup of cases that pushed many public defenders beyond ethical standards.
—Will Langhorne, Arkansas Online, 14 May 2023
Risk factors that increase your risk for stroke Several risk factors contribute to the buildup of plaque (or cholesterol) within the arteries, which increases the chance of blood clotting.
—USA TODAY, 11 May 2023
The buildup to the event has added to the intense environment Google workers have found themselves in after their bosses sent out orders to redouble their efforts on AI in December, after OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot became an instant phenomenon.
—Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 9 May 2023
The skin on the body is much drier than that on your face; on top of that, parts of your body (like your hands, elbows, knees, and feet) are extremely susceptible to textural problems due to dryness or buildup of dead skin.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 1 May 2023
GnRHas, when used as puberty blockers or for endometriosis, are known to limit the buildup of bone mineral density, raising concerns about bone fractures.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 1 May 2023
Verb
Keep a small trash can in the car for snack wrappers, empty cups and all of those pesky receipts that build up.
—Brigitt Earley, Good Housekeeping, 15 Apr. 2023
Japan is aggressively building up its defense capability in its southwestern islands in response to China’s increasingly assertive military activity in the region, including near Taiwan.
—Mari Yamaguchi, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Apr. 2023
Without insulin, sugar can build up in the bloodstream and break down the body’s own fat and muscle.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 7 Apr. 2023
Whatever bond had been built up would have been broken.
—Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2023
Alijah Martin, a sophomore guard, led Florida Atlantic with 26 points and added 7 rebounds, helping the Owls build up what seemed to be an insurmountable 14-point lead in the second half.
—Andrew Keh, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2023
Athletes could be built up as heroes and villains whom onlookers would pay to see triumph or fail; conclusions could be contrived in controversial ways that might encourage the crowd to buy tickets for a rematch.
—Dan Greene, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2023
Psoriasis is a condition that causes dead skin cells to build up on one another instead of falling out, which can create dry, itchy, and even painful patches of skin.
—Daley Quinn, Health, 29 Mar. 2023
The issue was simply whether he would be built up enough after a slow start to the spring.
—Evan Grant, Dallas News, 24 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'buildup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1555, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near buildup
Cite this Entry
“Buildup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buildup. Accessed 31 May. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
buildup
noun
build·up
ˈbil-ˌdəp 
1
: something produced by building up
2
: the act or process of building up
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