building

noun

build·​ing ˈbil-diŋ 

1

: a usually roofed and walled structure built for permanent use (as for a dwelling)

2

: the art or business of assembling materials into a structure

Synonyms of building

• structure
• house
• edifice

Examples of building in a Sentence

My office is in that small brick building.

We bought the land for building.

Recent Examples on the Web

The building where the fire broke out has 107 housing code violations, including 39 that are considered immediately hazardous, building records show. —Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026

The massive building, which had its own 60654 ZIP code, was rebranded as the Mart as part of a $40 million renovation in 2016. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026

The building would be 144 feet tall, 20 feet higher than permitted by right, and is subject to city commission approval. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2026

Work on three of the five museums has already been completed and a new entrance building for the complex, the James Simon Gallery, was opened in 2019. —ABC News, 4 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bildyng, buldyng, from bilden, buylden, bulden "to build entry 1" + -yng -ing entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing building

• apartment building
• building block
• building society
• sick building syndrome
• team building
• world-building

Rhymes for building

• gilding
• boatbuilding
• outbuilding
• rebuilding
• roadbuilding
• shipbuilding
• upbuilding
• bodybuilding

Kids Definition

building

noun

build·​ing ˈbil-diŋ 

1

: a permanent structure built as a dwelling, shelter, or place for human activity or for storage

an office building

2

: the art, work, or business of assembling materials into a structure