accumulate

verb

ac·​cu·​mu·​late ə-ˈkyü-m(y)ə-ˌlāt 

accumulated; accumulating

transitive verb

: to gather or pile up especially little by little : amass

accumulate a fortune

intransitive verb

: to increase gradually in quantity or number

snow accumulating to a depth of several feet

Synonyms of accumulate

• increase
• rise
• accelerate
• expand
• swell

Examples of accumulate in a Sentence

Evidence of his guilt is accumulating.

the number of complaints about that mail order firm is really accumulating

Recent Examples on the Web

Following the successful first model, this iteration will feature binned A19 Pro chips, repurposed from iPhone 17 Pro production, which dictates its release timeline as chip stock accumulates. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026

Sand lost to the waves at Tamarack appears to have been carried more than a mile north, accumulating near the end of Beech Street behind the Army and Navy Academy buildings. — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026

The state has also taken corrective action on debt and paid down $10 billion in long standing pension debt, which had accumulated for several decades dating back to the 1940’s. — Kevin McNabola, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026

The lessons learned and knowledge accumulated by your scientists and engineers are valuable human capital that no one else has. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin accumulātus, past participle of accumulāre "to heap up, add to, increase," from ad- ad- + cumulāre "to gather into a heap" — more at cumulate

Note: In part a Latinization of Middle French accumuler.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for accumulate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate
• ameliorate

Kids Definition

accumulate

verb

ac·​cu·​mu·​late ə-ˈkyü-myə-ˌlāt 

accumulated; accumulating

1

: to gather or pile up especially little by little : amass

accumulate a fortune

2

: to increase in quantity, number, or amount

rubbish accumulates quickly

Legal Definition

accumulate

verb

ac·​cu·​mu·​late

accumulated; accumulating

transitive verb

: to gather especially little by little

specifically : to add (income from a fund) back into the principal

intransitive verb

: to increase gradually in amount or number