pileup
noun
pile·up
ˈpī(-ə)l-ˌəp 
1
: a collision involving usually several motor vehicles
2
a
: a jammed tangled mass or pile (as of motor vehicles or people) resulting from collision or accumulation
b
Examples of pileup in a Sentence
A five-car pileup slowed traffic.
a pileup of e-mail messages that needed to be dealt with
Recent Examples on the Web
The massive pileup occurred early in the second stage, affecting a total of 23 cars.
—
Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
Here are tips from a professional for managing the paper clutter and avoiding the paper pileup in the future.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 May 2025
That storm caused an 84-car pileup and led to fatalities.
—Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
In 2023, a dog caused a pileup after running onto the road, forcing several cyclists to slam on the brakes in rainy conditions.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pileup
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Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
Here are tips from a professional for managing the paper clutter and avoiding the paper pileup in the future.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 May 2025
That storm caused an 84-car pileup and led to fatalities.
—Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
In 2023, a dog caused a pileup after running onto the road, forcing several cyclists to slam on the brakes in rainy conditions.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pileup
Cite this Entry
“Pileup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pileup. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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