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
Examples of buildup in a Sentence
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
Peter Guest, WIRED, 26 Mar. 2024
Asos Plc suffered a double-digit decline in sales in the first half as the fashion retailer was forced to heavily discount clothes to clear a buildup of last season’s unsold stock.
—Sabah Meddings, Fortune Europe, 26 Mar. 2024
There are also vegan silk proteins, zinc PCA, and willowherb extract to eliminate scalp buildup, soothe damage, and reduce scalp irritation.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024
In so doing, the therapy reduced the buildup of beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles—hallmark features of Alzheimer’s—in the brains of mice engineered to mimic the condition.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Feb. 2024
The buildup to playing arenas has been steady, and conscientiously thought out.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2024
Each of the four smaller brush heads houses 28 rotating nodes, which do the bulk of the work for you, loosening buildup and flakes alike.
—Deanna Pai, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2024
This can lead to a lack of resolution and a buildup of unresolved conflicts over time.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
This increased the likelihood of a severe buildup of amniotic fluid, which could cause her uterus to rupture and possibly kill her.
—Kavitha Surana, ProPublica, 26 Feb. 2024
Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024
The fungus is considered a death sentence, building up in the abdomen and destroying them from the inside out as the fungal spores grow, USA TODAY reported.
—USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
This includes dirt and oil that can build up as a result of styling.
—Essence, 3 Apr. 2024
If consumer confidence were weak, households would curtail consumption, building up their savings instead.
—Nicholas R. Lardy, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2024
The Adani Group became, in effect, a logistics arm of the government, building up ports, highways, bridges and solar farms at speeds never before seen.
—Alex Travelli, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
Stuber joined in 2017 with the mandate to build up the streamer’s originals library and jump-start its tentpole ambitions.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Apr. 2024
The Giants were in need of innings behind Keaton Winn, Monday’s starter, who is still building up after a late start to spring training.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024
Over the last few years, Canva’s been building up its resume as an acquirer.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
Noun
Public health experts warn about a buildup of invisible conditions, limiting children’s development and causing early deaths.
—Peter Guest, WIRED, 26 Mar. 2024
Asos Plc suffered a double-digit decline in sales in the first half as the fashion retailer was forced to heavily discount clothes to clear a buildup of last season’s unsold stock.
—Sabah Meddings, Fortune Europe, 26 Mar. 2024
There are also vegan silk proteins, zinc PCA, and willowherb extract to eliminate scalp buildup, soothe damage, and reduce scalp irritation.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024
In so doing, the therapy reduced the buildup of beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles—hallmark features of Alzheimer’s—in the brains of mice engineered to mimic the condition.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Feb. 2024
The buildup to playing arenas has been steady, and conscientiously thought out.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2024
Each of the four smaller brush heads houses 28 rotating nodes, which do the bulk of the work for you, loosening buildup and flakes alike.
—Deanna Pai, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2024
This can lead to a lack of resolution and a buildup of unresolved conflicts over time.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
This increased the likelihood of a severe buildup of amniotic fluid, which could cause her uterus to rupture and possibly kill her.
—Kavitha Surana, ProPublica, 26 Feb. 2024
Verb
Rice was spilled on the floor next to a bulk rice bin, the floor next to the ice machine had food debris and there was grease build up next to an electrical outlet.
—Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024
The fungus is considered a death sentence, building up in the abdomen and destroying them from the inside out as the fungal spores grow, USA TODAY reported.
—USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
This includes dirt and oil that can build up as a result of styling.
—Essence, 3 Apr. 2024
If consumer confidence were weak, households would curtail consumption, building up their savings instead.
—Nicholas R. Lardy, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2024
The Adani Group became, in effect, a logistics arm of the government, building up ports, highways, bridges and solar farms at speeds never before seen.
—Alex Travelli, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024
Stuber joined in 2017 with the mandate to build up the streamer’s originals library and jump-start its tentpole ambitions.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Apr. 2024
The Giants were in need of innings behind Keaton Winn, Monday’s starter, who is still building up after a late start to spring training.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024
Over the last few years, Canva’s been building up its resume as an acquirer.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024
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.
Dictionary Entries Near buildup
Cite this Entry
“Buildup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buildup. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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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