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)
Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
The California Highway Patrol responded to the vehicle pileup at 7:34 p.m. Sunday shortly after a Honda Civic came to a stop in traffic, a Nissan Versa slammed into the Honda, and a Toyota Rav4 slammed into the Nissan.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
The shortage of agents has caused massive pileups at security checkpoints.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026
Another man injured in the massive Tuesday pileup on Interstate 25 in southern Colorado died overnight, bringing the number of people killed to five, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pile (up)
Noun
Here are tips from a professional for managing the paper clutter and avoiding the paper pileup in the future.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
The California Highway Patrol responded to the vehicle pileup at 7:34 p.m. Sunday shortly after a Honda Civic came to a stop in traffic, a Nissan Versa slammed into the Honda, and a Toyota Rav4 slammed into the Nissan.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
The shortage of agents has caused massive pileups at security checkpoints.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026
Another man injured in the massive Tuesday pileup on Interstate 25 in southern Colorado died overnight, bringing the number of people killed to five, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pile (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pile (up)
Verb
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The program has accumulated nearly $80 million to support their college and career dreams.—
Debra-Ellen Glickstein,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2026
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And recent research demonstrated how cocaine and its metabolites can accumulate in wild fish such as sharks.—
Gennaro Tomma,
Scientific American,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Grease accumulation was observed on the ventilation hood filters.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
April 24,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Midfielder Telasco Segovia also will sit out due to yellow card accumulation.—
Michelle Kaufman
April 24,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The new project, which coincided with the brand’s 50th anniversary, offered casual fans and true aficionados the opportunity to discover the Armani archives with an interactive online platform that collated and organized its collections.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
21 Apr. 2026
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The rooms Every room features floor-to-ceiling windows, and a collection of 30 suites means there is no shortage of room types, from city kings and doubles to skyline corner studio suites and one-bedroom suites.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Relatives of Amal Khalil, a Lebanese journalist who officials and her employer say was killed by an Israeli airstrike yesterday, gathered in Baysariyeh in southern Lebanon this morning to mourn her loss ahead of funeral processions.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
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The energy was high in Vancouver last night as thousands of bartenders, industry insiders, and cocktail enthusiasts gathered for the unveiling of the 2026 edition of North America’s 50 Best Bars.—
Megan Murphy,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The parking lot was surrounded by crime scene tape, and multiple evidence markers were spotted on the sidewalk near the parking lot next to a pair of sandals and piles of clothing.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
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For everyone else, the towering pile of crises likely means higher food prices for the rest of the year.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
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Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Transfer green bean mixture to a large plate.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Apr. 2026
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He is widely known for pioneering large-scale analysis of ancient human genomes and for showing how population mixture shaped human history.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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During a time not unlike the one that ignited the historic founding of Chicano Park, thousands of people turned out Saturday at the iconic gathering space to celebrate their culture, stoke their heritage and press forward in their struggle.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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For more than three decades, Taylor Books has been a cultural anchor and community gathering spot right in the heart of the state capital.—
Kat Chen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pile (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pile%20%28up%29. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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