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)
Roni Robbins,
AJC.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Staffers also contacted the Colorado State Patrol, as the 70-car pileup happened, to alert law enforcement.
—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
About 70 vehicles were involved in a major pileup on a section of a Colorado highway, sending eight people to the hospital, amid hazardous cold weather, authorities said.
—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
The sheriff’s office indicated that all of those earlier incidents had been cleared before the major 75-vehicle pileup unfolded nearby on I-70 eastbound near mile marker 216.
—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pile (up)
Noun
More than a decade of tackles, blocks and pileups has taken a toll on many former professional football players, something former Atlanta Falcons lineman Phil McKinnely knows all too well.
—
Roni Robbins,
AJC.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Staffers also contacted the Colorado State Patrol, as the 70-car pileup happened, to alert law enforcement.
—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
About 70 vehicles were involved in a major pileup on a section of a Colorado highway, sending eight people to the hospital, amid hazardous cold weather, authorities said.
—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
The sheriff’s office indicated that all of those earlier incidents had been cleared before the major 75-vehicle pileup unfolded nearby on I-70 eastbound near mile marker 216.
—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pile (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pile (up)
Verb
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The military held a similar security strip from 1985 until 2000, before withdrawing after years of steady casualties, a toll that is accumulating once again.
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Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
Noun
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Three additional restaurants were cited for violations including heavy grease accumulation, missing handwashing signs and an ice machine leak.
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Daily life feels less focused on material accumulation and more focused on relationships.
Verb
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As the finalists from each state move on to the 'Best Pet in Nation' round of the Pet Lovers' Choice Awards, the team at USA TODAY Pets has gathered all the finalists, runner-ups and third place pets from each region.
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Hundreds of people have gathered throughout the week to carry posters, shout slogans, and sing.
Noun
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According to reports for the recycLA program, a commercial and multifamily waste collection franchise program, only about half of households and business are separating their compostable waste.
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Those recommendations include developing stronger performance measures, improving data collection, tracking client outcomes more consistently and identifying which shelter programs are delivering the most effective results.
Noun
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Remove brush, leaf, and firewood piles that provide shelter to animals and attract fleas.
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Instead, the pile keeps growing and the mornings keep getting harder.
Noun
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Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
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Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
Noun
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Pile the chickpea mixture in the center and add cheese, tomatoes and lettuce.
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The medical examiner determined her death was the result of immersion in water and a toxic mixture of drugs.
Noun
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The gathering started June 25 and runs through June 27.
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The honor was awarded by the 66-year-old festival and its market, Mifa (Marché International du Film d’Animation), long deemed the premier global gathering for animation creators, studios, buyers, distributors, platforms, investors and industry professionals.
Cite this Entry
“Pile (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pile%20%28up%29. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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