1
a
: forming an integral part of a structure or object
a camera with a built-in flash
especially
: constructed as or in a recess in a wall
a built-in bookshelf
b
: built into the ground
a built-in swimming pool
2
a
: inherent
a built-in advantage
b
: already established
Their best-seller status gave them a built-in audience.
Examples of built-in in a Sentence
Adjective
a poker player with a seemingly built-in ability to read his opponents' faces
Recent Examples on the Web
Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 28 Oct. 2025
Babbel has built-in speech recognition to help fine-tune your accent as well.
—PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025
Step 7: Clean the water line This step only applies to refrigerators that have built-in dispensers for water and ice.
—Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2025
November 2025: Mobile apps, collaborative whiteboards, and built-in calling expand reach and collaboration.
—Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for built-in
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Copperhead bite video Footage from the study shows vipers can break during strikes, and snakes have built-in mechanisms to deal with that: a replacement set of fangs tucked behind the active pair.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 28 Oct. 2025
Babbel has built-in speech recognition to help fine-tune your accent as well.
—PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025
Step 7: Clean the water line This step only applies to refrigerators that have built-in dispensers for water and ice.
—Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2025
November 2025: Mobile apps, collaborative whiteboards, and built-in calling expand reach and collaboration.
—Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for built-in
Cite this Entry
“Built-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/built-in. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share