building up

present participle of build up
1
2
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

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 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 Aside from building up a slight static charge, the Artemis 2 commander said the flywheel was impressive. Tariq Malik, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for building up
Verb
  • As summer arrives, snow begins melting, ice hardens and rocks loosen, increasing the risk of falls and rockfall.
    Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • When patients can’t pay, hospitals absorb the costs and pass them onto people with insurance by increasing prices, studies show.
    Alana Semuels, Time, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • To remain tuition-free, Miss Major Middle is launching as a microschool, a nontraditional educational model gaining traction nationwide.
    Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 27 June 2026
  • Living with less and gaining more Life here isn’t perfect.
    Cassandra Tresl, CNBC, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • More women are inheriting wealth, accumulating it earlier and making investment decisions independently.
    Kim Lawton, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • And while the images of crowded fountains and shuttered schools dominate the headlines, the economic damage is already accumulating in ways most employers and policymakers have barely begun to reckon with.
    Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Your 12th House of Rest and Reflection opens wider as Jupiter arrives, expanding your inner world and asking for generous rest that renews focus.
    Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2026
  • This diverse, global podcast journalism is vital for informing creators, advertisers, and the expanding audience, reflecting podcasting's evolving identity and widespread appeal.
    Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • The camp is open to rising high school juniors and seniors, and most of the attendees were from Lake and Porter counties.
    Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
  • By Saturday the official death toll had climbed past 1,400, with thousands injured and tens of thousands reported missing—figures the authorities acknowledged were still rising.
    Luis E. Romero, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • Immigrant communities from soccer-playing nations are gathering for watch parties to support their teams.
    Dian Zhang, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • Avoid Steering Customers Toward ‘Yes’ A common mistake is to ask steering questions when gathering customer feedback.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • The financial struggles led to them not being able to pay vendors, which led key brands to stop sending the retailers products to sell, further accelerating its decline.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 30 June 2026
  • The move comes amid rising demand for local asset servicing, with Saudi Arabia accelerating the development of its capital markets as part of its Vision 2030 agenda.
    Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Rough weather rolled over the Colorado community of Evergreen on Wednesday night, swelling Bear Creek and tributaries and tossing debris and mud into homes and downtown.
    Alan Gionet, CBS News, 25 June 2026
  • Symptoms can be mild to severe and range from nausea, itching, abdominal pain, swelling of the lips to life-threatening symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
    Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Building up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/building%20up. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster