build

verb

\ ˈbild

built\ ˈbilt

\; building

Definition of build

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to form by ordering and uniting materials by gradual means into a composite whole : construct birds building a nest build new hospitals and schools the boat her father built

2 : to cause to be constructed a contractor who has built hundreds of homes

3 : to develop according to a systematic plan, by a definite process, or on a particular base building a legal case against her built the organization from the ground up

4 : increase, enlarge helps build muscle build support for their candidate building friendships

intransitive verb

1 : to engage in building

2a : to progress toward a peak (as of intensity) build to a climax

b : to develop in extent a crowd building

build a fire under

: to stimulate to vigorous action

build into

: to make an integral part of build quality into the product

build on

: to use as a foundation building on past experience

build

noun

plural builds

Definition of build (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : form or mode of structure : make the boxy build of the car especially : bodily conformation of a person or animal a man of stocky build

2 : a version or iteration of a product or component We worked with several builds of the beta code, which was in itself instructive. Things that worked perfectly in one version stopped working at all in the next release.— Bill Machrone et al.

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about build

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Choose the Right Synonym for build

Verb

build, construct, and erect mean to make a structure. build is used for putting together several parts or materials to form something. Workers are building the house. construct is used for the designing of something and the process of fitting its parts together. Engineers constructed a system of dams across the river. erect is used for the idea of building something that stands up. The tower was erected many years ago.

Examples of build in a Sentence

Verb

The bridge was built in the 1890s. The planes were built in Germany. The organization helps build houses for poor families. A family of birds has built a nest on our roof. She started building a fire in the fireplace. He built a model airplane from a kit. You will need permission to build on your property. They are building a legal case against the tobacco industry. scientists building theories about how the universe began At college, you'll build friendships that will last a lifetime.

Noun

He is strong and muscular in build. a man of average build

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Border walls are being frantically built not just here but around the world. — Jennifer Wright, Harper's BAZAAR, "Notre Dame Is a Cruel Metaphor for Our World Right Now," 25 Apr. 2019 Over three decades, Ben Soleimani has built his reputation as one of the world’s top creators of contemporary, highly luxurious rugs. — Vanessa Lawrence, ELLE Decor, "See Inside Ben Soleimani’s Fast-Paced, Stylish Worlds in California and London," 17 Apr. 2019 The challenge now is building the global will to launch ourselves further and faster than ever toward a future without carbon emissions. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "Climate and energy news in 2018 actually wasn’t all bad," 1 Jan. 2019 The major breakthrough is the radioisotope identification device in Tang’s pocket, the D3S, which was built by the British company Kromek. — Dan Dubno, Popular Mechanics, "This Tiny Device Can Detect Nuclear Armageddon," 25 Apr. 2019 But those ships cost four times more than vessels built by foreign competitors, while U.S. owners must shoulder higher insurance premiums and heftier salaries for U.S. sailors compared with operators that use foreign crews. — Costas Paris, WSJ, "Philadelphia Shipyard Fights Again for Its Life," 17 Apr. 2019 Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee were moved into a house built by Habitat for Humanity and were flown across the country for celebrity meet-and-greets, concerts, speeches, trips to Disney World, and more. — Alexis Jones, Marie Claire, "How True Is 'The Act'? The Hulu Series' Backstory Is Chilling," 20 Mar. 2019 Medallions can be layered within a single necklace all at once, or built over time, or by layering multiple necklaces together. — Will Kahn, Town & Country, "How to Layer Necklaces," 8 Mar. 2019 Singer and American Idol judge Lionel Richie has long been a music industry icon, building himself a long career filled with chart-topping hits and multiple Grammy awards. — Heather Finn, Good Housekeeping, "Every Question About 'American Idol' Judge Lionel Richie's Famous Kids, Answered," 6 Apr. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

However, Harry and Meghan are doing things differently and so the build-up to this baby’s birth also has a slightly different feel. — Victoria Murphy, Town & Country, "Royal Baby Watch: Windsor—and the World—Holds Its Breath," 4 May 2019 The Game of Thrones era is coming to an end this year and the cast have been looking back on their time on the show in the build-up to the final season. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Sophie Turner Remembers "Overacting the Hell Out of" This Classic 'Game of Thrones' Scene," 13 Apr. 2019 More recent investors include French drinks maker Pernod Ricard and Mastercard, which put in a combined 125 million euros in the build-up to the initial public offering. — John Bowker, The Seattle Times, "Jumia surges on U.S. debut as Africa’s Amazon goes public," 12 Apr. 2019 An influx of high-energy particles into the skewed field lines then releases the build-up of magnetic pressure, thereby righting the skew. — Jill Kiedaisch, Popular Mechanics, "When the Sun’s Magnetic Field Squashes the Earth’s Magnetic Field, Beautiful Things Happen," 14 Feb. 2019 The explosion was possibly the result of a build-up of hydrogen gas caused by the battery damage. — Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica, "Doomed Argentine sub found a year after its disappearance," 19 Nov. 2018 Pros: Clean sound, no distortion, solid build, comfortable, nice case, inexpensive. — Jim Rossman, The Seattle Times, "Tech review: Simgot in-ear monitors offer great sound and a great price," 13 Apr. 2019 Students who are engaged build relationships on campus with professors and mentors and get involved on campus in projects, internships and extracurriculars. — Sue Shellenbarger, WSJ, "Remember, It’s Their College Years, Not Yours," 16 Mar. 2019 The latest Windows 10 insider build, 18305, is taking this a step further, including not just emoji but also kaomoji and symbols. — Peter Bright, Ars Technica, "Windows 10 will make it easier to ¯∖_(ツ)_/¯ and (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻," 20 Dec. 2018

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