erect 1 of 2

adjective

i-ˈrekt How to pronounce erect (audio)
Definition of erectnext
as in standing
rising straight up a lone tree remained erect after the terrible tornado had passed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

erect

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to raise
to fix in an upright position the tribes of the Pacific Northwest erected totem poles in front of their dwellings

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2
as in to build
to form by putting together parts or materials we'd better erect some sort of shelter before these woods are in total darkness

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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 erect
Adjective
The solitary daisy-like golden yellow flowers emerge from slender, erect stems. — Jamie McIntosh, The Spruce, 5 May 2026 The chickens stomp with swift feet like an Irish step dancer, keeping their tails erect and wings drooped. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
In the face of a flood of Chinese EVs, many countries have erected trade barriers to either protect local industries or leverage the Chinese desire for market access to grow manufacturing employment. — Robert Ferris, CNBC, 13 July 2026 Details of the Swift-Kelce wedding are still tricking through the wall of NDAs Tree Paine presumably erected around Madison Square Garden. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for erect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for erect
  1. standing
  2. raise
  3. build
  4. vertical
  5. rear
  6. construct
  7. upright
  8. hoist
Adjective
  • Fans chasing atmosphere can weigh the perks of upgrading, whether that means a club level, a standing-room social area or a section known for being the loudest in the building.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
  • The fans gave it, then gave it again, this time in the form of a standing ovation after Djokovic won the tiebreak and stood at Centre Court, his arms stretched wide.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of standing
Verb
  • Having one copy of the APOE4 variant may double or triple the chance of developing Alzheimer’s, while having two copies may raise risk by tenfold or more.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • The Digital Realty proposal is the first project vying to get an exemption from Atlanta’s ban, raising questions about balancing urban land use and digital infrastructure.
    — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of raise
Verb
  • Officials said the warning systems built since last year’s catastrophic floods were activated in Kerr County in the early hours before water levels began to rise, allowing for people to react quickly to flooding threats.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • Across the nation, some communities have had more blackouts after large data centers move in, and higher power bills as utilities have to build more infrastructure to support them.
    — Alexandra Phelps, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
Definition of build
Adjective
  • British aerospace company Vertical Aerospace is set to conduct the first public electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) demonstration flights at the upcoming Farnborough International Airshow.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
  • The device sits on her palm flipped to its side, so that the video Berkett films is vertical rather than horizontal — because most people will still watch it on their smartphone.
    — Alina Selyukh, NPR, 18 July 2026
Definition of vertical
Verb
  • Lafayette Park is a seven-acre plot filled with green lawns, shaded walkways and five historic statues, the most prominent of which shows President Andrew Jackson on a rearing horse.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 16 July 2026
  • The gift nearly doubles the Clark’s holdings of sculpture, and includes highlights like a pair of bronze sculptures of rearing horses by Fernandino Tacca.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 July 2026
Definition of rear
Verb
  • Rather than constructing reactors entirely on-site, Hadron plans to manufacture major reactor components in factories before transporting them for installation.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026
  • All the action takes place in sets constructed specifically for the series as well as in the real outdoors, where the Ingalls family build a life—and a home—on land of the Osage people.
    — Michael Gioia, Architectural Digest, 16 July 2026
Definition of construct
Adjective
  • This episode, Zack wakes up and bolts upright with the bandage still on his head from getting clobbered with a sign on his birthday and can’t remember what happened the night before.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 July 2026
  • First, the chair back reclines only one or two degrees before hard-stopping, even when locked in the fully upright position.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026
Definition of upright
Verb
  • England has been one of the betting favorites—behind only France, Argentina and possibly Spain—to eventually hoist the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • With group play coming to a close and the Round of 32 approaching, the competition is heating up as teams look to punch their tickets to the knockout round in hopes of hoisting the FIFA World Cup Trophy at the final on Sunday, July 19.
    — Jaclyn Hendricks, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
Definition of hoist

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Cite this Entry

“Erect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erect. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on erect

Nglish: Translation of erect for Spanish Speakers

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