build up 1 of 2

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

buildup

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noun

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 buildup
Verb
As the United States should tell China (behind closed doors), its nuclear buildup is stoking security anxieties in Asia and leading other countries in the region to contemplate developing their own nuclear weapons. Mariano-Florentino CuÉllar, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2025 Many bald Black women swear by shampooing their scalp with a light product to remove sweat, oil, and general buildup. Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
Food residue can build up and cause cracks. Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025 Buffett has built up the conglomerate over the past 60 years. Dave Smith, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for buildup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buildup
Verb
  • In 2024, that number increased just slightly—by less than 1%—compared to the year before.
    Chantelle Lee, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Johnson’s detractors accuse him of championing Bukele despite his increasing abuses of power.
    T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This was the round when Liverpool lost yet again, Arsenal moved to the top of the Premier League, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca lost his cool but gained a few friends and Manchester United won a fairly straightforward, drama-free match.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Honer, a former college diver, moved to Nashville in 2024 after gaining viral success.
    Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Educational Freedom Accounts program significantly expand state taxpayer funding of student tuition and other costs related to private schools and some home-school expenses.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2025
  • This is a sister organization to the Heritage Foundation, the think tank behind Project 2025—a sweeping conservative policy blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government by expanding presidential power, dismantling parts of the civil service, and rolling back regulations across agencies.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The companies had been at odds over the past week, with the programmer running ads and social media promotions calling attention to the operator’s Big Tech DNA.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Still, the flip-flop has become a defining silhouette of 2025, appearing in street style, front rows and even film promotion.
    Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Bright nighttime skies are on the way in Michigan as the year's first full supermoon will rise in the sky Monday, astronomers say.
    Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 5 Oct. 2025
  • In six of the past seven seasons, the number of Englishmen playing in major leagues on the continent has risen.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Days after a gunman drove a truck into a Grand Blanc Township church and opened fire on worshippers, killing four people and wounding eight, hundreds gathered in Flint for a community safety briefing focused on crisis response and prevention in houses of worship.
    Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Rainwater tends to gather along the road edges.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • They’re plugged into networks that carry influence and can accelerate advancement in business and career.
    Sarah Maokosy, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Once a scrappy research lab in San Francisco's Mission District, the company has since become more structured, enabling it to spin up cross-functional teams more quickly and accelerate the development and deployment cycles for products like Sora.
    MacKenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Buildup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buildup. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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