build up 1 of 2

verb

Definition of build upnext
1
as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number static electricity built up on the cat's fur

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2
as in to gain
to gradually increase in the roller coaster built up momentum

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

buildup

2 of 2

noun

as in promotion

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of build up
Verb
Their bodies are built up in thick paint, their limbs modeled with short lateral strokes that wrap each arm into a solid cylinder. — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026 The debt has been building up for several months, according to copies of tax bills on the property, and now includes tens of thousands of dollars in penalties and interest, public records show. — Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
The swirls could also fuel the buildup of the sun’s magnetic energy, which drives solar flares and coronal mass ejections. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026 Kim also accused the United States of enabling Japan’s military buildup by supplying Tomahawk missiles, modifying vessels for their operation and supporting the missile tests. — Reuters, NBC news, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for build up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for build up
  1. increase
  2. gain
  3. accumulate
  4. expand
  5. promotion
  6. rise
  7. gather
  8. accelerate
Verb
  • The kingdom has faced increasing attacks from the Houthis, who also declared a blockade on the al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea on July 20.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Nor would increased options out wide and a central defender, The Athletic revealing earlier this week that a couple of bids have been rejected for Norway international centre-back Henrik Falchener, 23, from that country’s Viking Stavanger.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of increase
Verb
  • Huckabee noted that this partnership played out in a variety of areas, including military cooperation, especially as both worked to stop the Iranian regime from gaining nuclear arms.
    — Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The practice gained prominence under successive state administrations, with governments providing couples with wedding necessities and financial assistance.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of gain
Verb
  • Quaternary ammonium compounds can also accumulate in the testicles, Hrubec said.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The United States continued to accumulate legal power over the second half of the twentieth century.
    — Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of accumulate
Verb
  • Investors have increasingly scrutinized the chipmaker’s expanding financial ties with major AI customers.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • New business models such as Walmart supercenters, Costco warehouse clubs and Trader Joe’s specialty stores expanded the abundance further.
    — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of expand
Noun
  • Over time, however, retailers may begin evaluating whether certain promotions, bundles or low-ticket offers create an outsized number of cash adjustments.
    — Brian Delp, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Occasionally, a dealership offers a service promotion such as lifetime free oil changes funded by the dealership.
    — Sean Tucker, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of promotion
Verb
  • But after the single-component shots came into use, infections there began to rise.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • That was the evening Hilton, who rose to fame in the early 2000s as a celebrity gossip blogger, appeared to engage in self-harm during a livestream.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of rise
Verb
  • The clubs use that data, as well as additional information gathered through other testing methods, to aid in the management of the training loads and performance of their athletes.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • People gather at Edge at Hudson Yards in Manhattan in New York City during a 90% partial solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 in New York City.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of gather
Verb
  • The Pole accelerated on the stage’s fourth ascent of the Col d’Eze, but couldn’t open a gap.
    — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Local residents said some drivers spend hours revving their engines and accelerating modified vehicles along Woodward Avenue.
    — Terell Bailey, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of accelerate

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build up
buildup
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Cite this Entry

“Build up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/build%20up. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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