buildup

noun build·up \ ˈbild-ˌəp \

|Updated on: 11 Jul 2018

Examples: buildup in a Sentence

Definition of buildup

1 : something produced by building up

fluid buildup in the lungs

2 : the act or process of building up

See buildup defined for English-language learners

See buildup defined for kids

Examples of buildup in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of buildup from the Web

Buoyant results, bolstered by strong demand in China, have not only boosted bottom lines but contributed to a cash buildup waiting to be deployed.

— elizabeth paton, New York Times, "Luxury’s Chess Masters Prepare for a New Game," 30 June 2018
Mattis’ visit comes after the Pentagon disinvited China’s military from a major naval exercise in the Pacific, a snub meant to protest the island buildup.

— tracy wilkinson, latimes.com, "Under Trump, America's influence in the western Pacific may be on the decline," 29 June 2018
There was patient buildup play and the Brazilians sometimes rested in possession, exchanging short passes in their own half to slow down play.

— frank griffiths, Houston Chronicle, "Brazil advances, faces Mexico next in round of 16 at World Cup," 28 June 2018
Do not spray the grill grates with oil; this causes excess smoke and unnecessary goopy buildup on the grates.

— jeanmarie brownson, charlotteobserver, "Control the heat to grill the perfect steak," 26 June 2018
Israel has meanwhile carried out strikes against Syrian and Iranian forces in the area in recent months, after repeatedly warning against any Iranian buildup near the border.

— sarah el deeb, Fox News, "Syria shells rebel-held areas ahead of possible offensive," 21 June 2018
After months of speculation, rumors and buildup, teams will finally make their picks.

— jenna west, SI.com, "NBA Draft Rumors: Several Teams Interested in Trading Up For Grizzlies' No. 4 pick," 21 June 2018
The buildup can be attributed to the sisters’ schedules.

— rachel raczka, BostonGlobe.com, "Sisters Aly & AJ are doing it for themselves," 20 June 2018
Goals Replay will be used to determine if a goal should stand, or if there was any foul by the attacking team in the buildup that went uncalled.

— nick schwartz, For The Win, "Everything you need to know about VAR, the video system that will change the World Cup," 16 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'buildup.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of buildup

1926

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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build up

verb

Definition of build up

transitive verb

1 : to develop gradually by increments

building up endurance

built up a library

2 : to promote the health, strength, esteem, or reputation of

intransitive verb

: to accumulate or develop appreciably

—

builder-upper

play \ˈbil-dər-ˈə-pər\ noun

Examples of build up in a Sentence

static electricity built up on the cat's fur
the roller coaster built up momentum

Recent Examples of build up from the Web

The exercises that build up strength and promote balance can help preserve and improve the condition of the nerves, postponing their deterioration.

— lynn peterson mobley, Washington Post, "My athletic husband stumbled. He was tired. He had a disease we’d never heard of.," 8 July 2018
The restaurant is a traditional, sit-down, white tablecloth restaurant with a large dining room and buffet service that has built up a following over the years, with families celebrating weddings, birthdays, religious holidays, and other milestones.

— pioneer press, chicagotribune.com, "'This is not easy for me': Old Warsaw to close in Harwood Heights as PDQ restaurant aims to move in," 7 July 2018
That funding, aimed at giving the UFW time to build up the trust fund’s reserves, is secure through 2021, according to the bill, which was sponsored by the UFW and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2015.

— geoffrey mohan, latimes.com, "How California's farm labor shortage made friends of old rivals," 6 July 2018
The companies also said the drug reduced the amount of clumps of a protein called beta amyloid that build up in the brains of patients.

— peter loftus, WSJ, "Drugmakers Call Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug Study Positive," 6 July 2018
What might seem like a several-month whirlwind romance to most appears to have actually been a slow burn that steadily built up over several years.

— hanna lustig, Teen Vogue, "Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson's Relationship: A Timeline," 25 June 2018
In recent years, the Kim regime has also pointed to the fate of countries such as Libya and Iraq as a reason to build up a strong deterrent.

— james griffiths, CNN, "How the Trump-Kim summit is playing in North Korea," 11 June 2018
Some characters and plot beats feel hollow without time to build up.

— steven strom, Ars Technica, "Vampyr review: Dead in the daylight," 6 June 2018
For instance, the report asserts that the whales’ age can only be ascertained by analyzing earwax plugs that build up over time.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Japan Killed 112 Pregnant Whales in the Name of Scientific Research," 30 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'build up.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of build up

1555

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

build up Synonyms

BUILDUP Defined for English Language Learners

buildup

noun

Definition of buildup for English Language Learners

: an increase in something that occurs as time passes
: things that are said to cause people to feel excited about something (such as a future event) or someone (such as a performer)
: a series of things that lead to an important event or occurrence