1
as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
static electricity built up on the cat's fur
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to gain
to gradually increase in
the roller coaster built up momentum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to accumulate
to gradually form into a layer, pile, or mass
evidence that the toxic chemical builds up in the bloodstream to unhealthy levels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to expand
to make greater in size, amount, or number
he patiently built up his coin collection over several decades the young stockbroker worked hard to build up a clientele
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in promotion
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of build up
Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Feb. 2026
Once the team was finally together in the offseason, Brave Christian impressed at local summer league games and built up some hype at the start of the season after starting 7-1.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
Pop on the pet power brush for tackling smaller surface areas prone to pet hair buildup, like couches, armchairs, pet beds, and carpeted stairs.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for build up
Verb
To reiterate, tretinoin is a potent vitamin-A derivative, so your tolerance will build up over time.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 5 Feb. 2026
Once the team was finally together in the offseason, Brave Christian impressed at local summer league games and built up some hype at the start of the season after starting 7-1.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
The buildup of naval assets off and around the coast of Iran is blunt and plodding.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
Pop on the pet power brush for tackling smaller surface areas prone to pet hair buildup, like couches, armchairs, pet beds, and carpeted stairs.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for build up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for build up
Verb
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The program will start with 3,000 volunteers to be selected next summer and will gradually increase to 10,000 per year by 2030.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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Allowing its use on these two common crops will drastically expand how much is applied and increase harm, advocates say.—
Michael Phillis,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Local polls had consistently projected that no single party would gain a majority, necessitating the formation of a coalition government.—
GRANT PECK,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
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The analyst also expects MongoDB to gain from higher consumption, driven by rising enterprise workloads.—
TipRanks,
CNBC,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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During a subsequent conversation with Humpal and an onsite investigation, DNR staff determined the spill was coming from the west side of the operation where snow melt and a broken waterline caused more water to accumulate.—
Cami Koons,
Iowa Capital Dispatch,
10 Feb. 2026
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The trust accumulated over those projects was what gave both Netflix and Honnold the confidence to mount a spectacle as daring as a rope-less skyscraper climb captured on live TV.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For many schools, that means expanding technical education classes, building partnerships with local businesses, and getting creative with transporting teens — some just on the cusp of learning to drive — to part-time work.—
Carley Lanich,
IndyStar,
10 Feb. 2026
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Powered by rapid advances in embodied intelligence, China’s humanoid robots are advancing rapidly, expanding their potential roles in both industrial settings and home environments.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Rodríguez is the closest of the Yankees’ top pitching prospects after starting last season at High-A, forcing his way to Double-A, and earning a brief promotion to Triple-A for his last start of the year.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
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His promotion comes at a moment when streaming, film and sports media remain in flux, and big studios and networks are struggling to predict how audiences will be consuming media three years from now.—
Allie Canal,
NBC news,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That leads to high temperatures, which create a glowing protostar due to the rapid (kinetic) motion of the internal gas particles, and eventually, after a few tens of millions of years, the core temperatures rise high enough (above 4 million K or so) that nuclear fusion of hydrogen begins.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
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The information will be incorporated into the NEMO ocean model, which forms part of the UK Earth System Model, improving predictions as polar ice loss accelerates with rising global temperatures.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And as traders bought more, the gains gathered steam, resulting in skyrocketing prices.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Several dozen demonstrators also gathered at Temple and Alameda streets near the federal building, and a broadcast report said police issued a dispersal order there.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Senate’s bill would tie some community development grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to housing production, offering bonuses to local governments that accelerate homebuilding while reducing funding for those that fall behind.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
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His move to the Sandringham estate was accelerated after the latest batch of Epstein files were released, and after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was seen waving to photographers and bystanders at Windsor Castle, as if nothing had happened.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Build up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/build%20up. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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