accumulates; accumulated; accumulating
1
: to gather or acquire (something) gradually as time passes
She has slowly accumulated [=amassed] a fortune.
You can accumulate [=earn] bonus points by participating in surveys.
The police have been accumulating [=collecting] evidence of his guilt.
2
: to increase gradually in amount as time passes
A large amount of debris has accumulated [=collected] at the construction site.
Evidence of his guilt is accumulating.
Cite this Entry
“Accumulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/accumulate. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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