Synonyms of building up

building up

verb

present participle of build up

1

as in increasing

to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number

static electricity built up on the cat's fur

Synonyms & Similar Words

• increasing
• rising
• swelling
• rolling up
• accelerating
• expanding
• climbing
• waxing
• multiplying
• intensifying
• mounting
• accumulating
• proliferating
• escalating
• ballooning
• spreading
• mushrooming
• booming
• enlarging
• snowballing
• burgeoning
• gaining
• surging
• jumping
• appreciating
• puffing (up)
• blowing up
• skyrocketing
• heightening
• rocketing
• peaking
• redoubling
• inflating
• distending
• bulking
• cresting
• crescendoing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decreasing
• diminishing
• contracting
• lessening
• receding
• waning
• dwindling

2

as in growing (in)

to gradually increase in

the roller coaster built up momentum

Synonyms & Similar Words

• growing (in)
• gaining
• picking up
• gathering
• doubling (in)
• tripling (in)
• expanding
• exciting
• stepping up
• accruing
• accumulating
• stimulating
• ramping (up)
• mounting
• maximizing
• enhancing
• jacking (up)
• extending
• enlarging
• enriching
• amassing
• elevating
• boosting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decreasing (in)
• losing
• falling (in)
• declining (in)
• diminishing (in)
• tapering
• tapering off
• lessening
• dwindling
• dipping
• abating

3

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

• accumulating
• piling (up)
• stacking (up)
• gathering
• collecting
• concentrating
• amassing
• massing
• accreting
• conglomerating
• drifting
• agglutinating
• clumping
• lumping
• banking
• ridging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• scattering
• dispersing
• dissipating

4

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

• increasing
• expanding
• accelerating
• adding (to)
• boosting
• augmenting
• pumping up
• raising
• multiplying
• extending
• enhancing
• swelling
• reinforcing
• escalating
• enlarging
• amplifying
• maximizing
• stoking
• compounding
• intensifying
• drawing out
• strengthening
• bumping (up)
• upping
• ratcheting (up)
• blowing up
• fleshing (out)
• hyping
• racheting (up)
• supersizing
• aggrandizing
• following up
• supplementing
• jumping
• beefing (up)
• developing
• skyrocketing
• booming
• spiking
• lengthening
• inflating
• prolonging
• stretching
• heightening
• dilating
• complementing
• distending
• elongating
• magnifying
• protracting
• accumulating
• collecting
• amassing
• parlaying

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• subtracting (from)
• reducing
• decreasing
• diminishing
• lowering
• downsizing
• dwindling
• lessening
• abating
• shortening
• curtailing
• abridging
• cutting back
• minifying
• abbreviating
• contracting
• compressing
• de-escalating
• condensing
• constricting
• retrenching

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of building up

Boone said the final few steps for Judge’s return include building up his workload because he has been sidelined for over three months with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side. — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026

Coleman Borthwick is among the 2026 draftees building up at the Peoria Sports Complex. — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

Government reshuffle Ahead of the next winter period, Ukraine is strengthening the defense of its energy infrastructure and building up reserves to ensure sufficient supplies of heat and electricity. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies start right after birth with three to five minutes at a time, building up to more than an hour a day. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026

And because some of these inflation drivers affect multiple sectors, costs are building up throughout the supply chain. — Elizabeth Canales, The Conversation, 16 July 2026

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. — Los Angeles Times, 5 July 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

Trash Cans Emptying the trash isn't enough to prevent funky odors from building up in your home. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 June 2026