build-out

noun

ˈbild-ˌau̇t 

variants or less commonly buildout

plural build-outs also buildouts

1

a

: work done to make a structure or system ready for use or to bring a construction or development project to a completed state

When the build-out of the campus is complete, as many as 7,500 students will attend class there.

—Janis L. Magin

b

: work done to expand a system (such as a telecommunications system)

The buildout of new infrastructure for digital cellular telephony is at such an early stage that it's impossible to predict what the performance of some of the systems will be.

—Brian C. Fenton

c

: a project or process involving such work

Of course, the Chinese are traveling and spending more in their own country too, in part because of a gigantic infrastructure build-out; China will have constructed more high-speed-rail capacity by the end of the decade than is currently operating in the rest of the world, some 10,000 miles' (16,000 km) worth.

—Bill Saporito

2

: a state in which an area has been fully developed

At build-out, the community is planned to include retail, restaurant and office space, a hotel, urban-style and loft apartments, townhomes, and condominiums.

—The Flower Mound (Texas) Leader

Examples of build-out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At the same time, federal agencies under Trump have rolled back key rules and regulations and supported the build-out of the fossil fuel industry. —Sophie Austin, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025

Just as Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System led to a generation of economic growth, the build-out of next-gen missile defense could usher in massive public-private partnerships and foster incredible innovation. —Frank Holmes, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025

That build-out includes 3,000 homes expected to be up for sale in the next 10 years, Mara said. —Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2025

A week ago, a Microsoft executive said the software company was slowing down or temporarily holding off on advancing early build-outs. —Jordan Novet, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for build-out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout