BUILDS UP Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

builds up

verb

present tense third-person singular of build up

as in increases

to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number static electricity built up on the cat's fur

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as in gains

to gradually increase in the roller coaster built up momentum

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as in accumulates

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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as in expands

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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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 builds up This happens when water in front of the tire builds up faster than the vehicle's weight can push water out of the way. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026 Spring cleaning is the perfect time to tackle the bathroom — that one room where clutter builds up fast and organization falls apart even faster. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026 Over time, the negative marks from debt relief will carry less weight as your positive history builds up. — Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026 When ice builds up, the birds can no longer maintain flight and are forced to land. — Nick Lunemann, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026 By overlooking particle motion, these models may underestimate how quickly damage builds up inside real-world batteries. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Mar. 2026 Vastnaut One includes motors positioned at the knees that help absorb impact as the foot lands, reducing the stress that typically builds up over long descents. — New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2026 The residue left behind by liquid fabric softeners builds up over time, creating a water-repellent barrier on fibers. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 10 Mar. 2026 Heavy and formidable, the percussion builds up to the unsettling climax of the character’s suicidal depression. — Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 2 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for builds up

Verb

Right now, the average hot day contains about 16 hot hours, but that increases to 19 hours in the medium scenario and 21 hours in the high scenario.

— Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026
The chance of rain increases a bit with the potential for spotty showers.

— Lissette Gonzalez, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of increases

Verb

Brooks emphasizes that while Black art gains market attention, ownership among Black Americans remains limited due to a lack of knowledge.

— Richard Fowler, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Turkey, already a NATO member, gains a larger market for its growing defense industry and additional strategic weight as tensions with Israel rise.

— Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of gains

Verb

Software built that way accumulates weight rather than value, and its usable lifespan shrinks instead of extending.

— Muhammad Muzammil Rawjani, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
As the gas rapidly accumulates within these tiny crevices, the bubbles expand almost instantaneously and push the beverage violently out of the bottle to create a soda fountain, also called a geyser.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of accumulates

Verb

These events occur when extremely hot underground water suddenly turns into steam, expands, and blasts apart the surrounding rock.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Unlike the nighttime aurora oval, which expands dramatically during geomagnetic storms, the dayside auroral oval changes much less, making displays harder to see even during active space weather.

— Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of expands

Verb

Add room and board, and the real average cost rises to roughly $16,000 — with the average student receiving close to $10,000 in grant aid to get there.

— Scott White, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Broad Peak, which rises 8,051 meters (26,414 feet) above sea level in the Karakoram range, is the world’s 12th-highest mountain and lies near K2, the world’s second-highest peak.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of rises

Verb

The increasingly popular annual staple for cat lovers, created and curated by Will Braden, gathers the best cat videos from across digital media.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
Argentina’s shale output is up 28% year-on-year as the country’s pivot to become an energy supplier — rather than buyer — gathers pace.

— Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of gathers

Verb

This shift accelerates a broader trend of moving sovereign gold reserves back to the region from London and coincides with a 21-month buying streak that added 20 tons in July 2026 alone.

— Michael Khouw, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
That distinction matters as the United States accelerates investment in domestic mining, refining and magnet manufacturing.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of accelerates

Verb

Consider Mush, Music & Mutts in Shelby, North Carolina’s official (but not only) livermush festival, where for a day each year, the downtown swells to 10,000 people seeking a good time—and a little livermush.

— Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026
Bandmates Jakob Nowell and Zane Vandevort, or Zayno, appeared in front of the weather screen to help anchor Kirk Hawkins deliver the latest outlook on Sunday — offering heat advisories as well as updates on California’s surf swells.

— Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Aug. 2026