BUILDING UP Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

building up

verb

present participle of build up

as in increasing

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

as in growing (in)

to gradually increase in the roller coaster built up momentum

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in accumulating

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

as in expanding

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

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 building up The former second-round pick is suddenly one of the Lakers’ primary summer league players and hopes to use the experience as an important stepping stone, building up his game while also establishing a leadership voice. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026 The Nebius data center currently under construction will start at 200 megawatts and will increase to at least 800 megawatts, with the potential of building up to 1200 megawatts over several years. — Ilana Arougheti june 26, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026 The strength of the onscreen bond between Ryan and Naim is in part due to their actors building up a real friendship before production began. — Arushi Jacob, Variety, 19 June 2026 While the petition is just the latest in an ongoing crusade to tame the streets, tension in the neighborhood is building up, and for good reason. — Anne Kadet, Curbed, 29 May 2026 Brown is still building up his pitch count with his transition from the bullpen to the rotation, requiring high efficiency facing Major League Baseball’s best offense to give them that many outs. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026 According to Gabrielle Correale, Ground Up’s director of marketing, the shoe firm is responsible for building up each brand’s footwear category. — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 15 May 2026 Long is in the process of building up to full fitness following his return from Achilles surgery. — Josh Gross, Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026 The divisions underscore the West’s challenges in combating China; following decades of building up its supply chains, Beijing now controls 90% of global processing. — Semafor Events, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for building up

Verb

Getty Images Major air-conditioning makers such as Japan’s Daikin are also trimming costs by increasing the use of aluminum.

— Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Thanks to the design, all three elements are evenly separated upon exiting the barrel, improving firing accuracy and substantially increasing the probability of hitting small targets, reported TASS.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 July 2026

Definition of increasing

Verb

Monthly events like their floral arrangement workshop and cocktail classes create a space where people can enjoy an experience while gaining new skills and knowledge.

— Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
The culinary team regularly meets with Longwood Gardens botanists in the Idea Garden, gaining inspiration from the ingredients grown there.

— Don Tse, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of gaining

Verb

Some may continue using the drug, delay or forgo treatments proven to be effective, or remain convinced that the drug is helpful despite accumulating evidence to the contrary.

— Dannell D. Boatman, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
Carried across and buried again, accumulating the same debt under a different name.

— Nitin Rakesh, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of accumulating

Verb

To solve the dearth of heirs, government ministers have proposed reinstating former branches of the royal family, thereby expanding the pool of male successors.

— Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
While Rodriguez and other supporters have pushed to preserve the unit, critics of expanding Sheriff’s Office funding argue that the county should instead invest in social and community services.

— Reeti Malhotra July 13, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026

Definition of expanding

Verb

But the number started rising about a decade ago, with a particularly notable spike in 2018 and 2019.

— Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
But interest in the nascent field is rising as companies notch up milestones, such as enabling people with degenerative conditions including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to type or play video games using brain signals.

— Elaine Yu, CNBC, 11 July 2026

Definition of rising

Verb

By that point, for a variety of reasons, the culture of spas as gathering places in the summer was on the wane, and many spa towns had to reinvent themselves.

— Veronique Greenwood, Time, 9 July 2026
While one team spent 12 hours gathering information on potential victims in the area, the other worked actively on-site.

— Ella Moore July 9, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026

Definition of gathering

Verb

According to the team, the new model helps in reducing the need for costly physical training while accelerating the development of more capable and adaptable robotic systems.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
By April 19, the tilt sensor measurements were accelerating at a rate that made scientists determine a collapse was imminent.

— Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026

Definition of accelerating

Verb

Bond auction draws highest yield since 2007 An auction of 30-year Treasury bonds Thursday drew the highest yield in nearly 20 years, underscoring how swelling bond supply is driving investors to demand higher returns from government debt.

— Bloomberg, Oc Register, 9 July 2026
This can result in blood pooling in the legs, causing discomfort, swelling or a heavy feeling.

— BestReviews, Mercury News, 9 July 2026

Definition of swelling

Browse Nearby Words

buildings

building up

builds

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Building up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/building%20up. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of building up

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

bibelot

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes