as in to accumulate
to gradually form into a layer, pile, or mass
snow piling up in the driveway at a rapid pace
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in accumulation
a mass or quantity that has piled up or that has been gathered over a period of time
a pileup of e-mail messages that needed to be dealt with
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pile (up)
David Chiu, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
More than 100 cars were involved in a pileup on I-196 in Zeeland Township on Monday morning in West Michigan.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
An unusually large pileup of Second Amendment challenges has landed at the Supreme Court, which will consider taking up the cases behind closed doors Friday.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2025
Colorado legislators updated the traction law in an effort to reduce crashes, spin-outs, pileups and lengthy traffic delays during the winter months when snow falls along the Interstate 70 mountain corridor from just west of Denver through Dotsero.
—Bruce Finley, Denver Post, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pile (up)
Noun
The sheriff's office says the pileup involved about 100 vehicles, including dozens of semi-trucks.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
More than 100 cars were involved in a pileup on I-196 in Zeeland Township on Monday morning in West Michigan.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
An unusually large pileup of Second Amendment challenges has landed at the Supreme Court, which will consider taking up the cases behind closed doors Friday.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2025
Colorado legislators updated the traction law in an effort to reduce crashes, spin-outs, pileups and lengthy traffic delays during the winter months when snow falls along the Interstate 70 mountain corridor from just west of Denver through Dotsero.
—Bruce Finley, Denver Post, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pile (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pile (up)
Verb
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Central bank buying remains a cornerstone, with emerging market institutions, particularly in the East, continuing to accumulate reserves.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Across some of the most productive farmland in the United States, a nutrient called phosphorus has been accumulating in the soil for decades, at levels far beyond what crops actually require.—
Dinesh Phuyal,
The Conversation,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Everything from catastrophic ice accumulation to over a foot of snow and double-digit subzero temperatures are expected to hit places east of the Rocky Mountains.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 Jan. 2026
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Around 1 to 2 inches of sleet accumulation has been reported across DFW.—
Lauren Bostwick,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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These Milanese arrivals edged Hermès, where Véronique Nichanian presented her final collection after 37 years, down to 7th in the list.—
Luke Leitch,
Vogue,
28 Jan. 2026
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Almost immediately after oversight of TikTok’s US operations changed, misinformation started to spread about changes to the app’s new terms of service, including those that applied to location sharing and data collection, Fiesler said.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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By combining enhanced light-gathering capability with advanced image processing, Hollyland says the Lyra achieves the kind of image quality more usually associated with mirrorless cameras, but in a more compact form factor.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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On Thursday, Greystone's linemen gathered for a crucial safety briefing, underscoring the importance of caution during what could become a hazardous, multi-day operation.—
Nakell Williams,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Joe subtly smiled, like a Western Pennsylvania dad after his kid just lowered his shoulder and pushed the pile forward into the end zone.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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Mozilla’s cash pile is dwarfed by OpenAI, which has raised more than $60 billion from investors across the globe, and its rival Anthropic, which has raised more than $30 billion, according to PitchBook.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The result also spotlights conference championships’ awkward fit in the current system, particularly given the fact that conference expansion has led to jumbles atop each league’s standings.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
7 Dec. 2025
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Ray’s most chaotic photograms—jumbles that push out of the frame or look like time bombs ready to explode—find echoes in his films, projected on the back walls, a show in themselves.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Cook, stirring often and breaking up any larger pieces of tomato as needed, until mixture is very thick and concentrated and beginning to stick to bottom of pot and oil is beading on the surface, 20–25 minutes.—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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As for protection, Jacquet’s plans propose that the hull be made of a cast-steel or manganese-alloy mixture.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The annual Davos gathering of political leaders, top executives and celebrities runs from January 20 to 24.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
24 Jan. 2026
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Frozen lakes take center stage for popular festivals, sporting events and gatherings.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pile (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pile%20%28up%29. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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