accumulate

1 to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number the number of complaints about that mail order firm is really accumulating Synonyms accelerate, increase, appreciate, balloon, boom, build up, burgeon (also bourgeon), climb, enlarge, escalate, expand, gain, mount, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, rise, roll up, snowball, spread, swell, waxRelated Words jump, rocket, skyrocket, surge; heighten, intensify, redouble; blow up, bulk, distend, inflate, puff (up); crescendo, crest, peakAntonyms contract, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen, recede, wane

2 to bring together in one body or place finally accumulated enough donated books to hold a book sale Synonyms gather, amass, assemble, bulk (up), collect, concentrate, congregate, constellate, corral, garner, group, lump, pick up, round upRelated Words ball, batch, bunch, cluster, huddle; heap, pile, stack; band, brigade, muster, raise, rally; flock, herd, hive, pack, press, swarm, throng; combine, connect, join, link, merge, pool, unite; archive, arrange, collate, compile, organize, systematize; scrape (up or together); re-collect, regather, regroupNear Antonyms break up, disband, disintegrate, dissolve, separate, sever, split (up); dismiss, sendAntonyms dispel, disperse, dissipate, scatter

3 to gradually form into a layer, pile, or mass clouds accumulating on the western horizon Synonyms accrete, collect, amass, build up, concentrate, conglomerate, gather, mass, pile (up), stack (up)Related Words agglutinate, clump, lump; bank, drift, ridgeNear Antonyms disperse, dissipate, scatter