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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of pile (up)
Francesco Fedele, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2025
Officials still at the agency told me that the pileup of new policies, combined with staff departures, has saddled them with heavier workloads.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 6 Aug. 2025
Customs facilities in Bangladesh have endured processing delays for exports and imports for two weeks, leading to concerns of more cargo pileup and backlogs at the country’s ports and inland container depots.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 14 July 2025
Behind the leaders, cars collided in pileups that would have made headlines at Daytona.
—William Liang, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pile (up)
Noun
This catastrophic pileup would resemble a rogue wave, caused by their confinement.
—Francesco Fedele, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2025
Officials still at the agency told me that the pileup of new policies, combined with staff departures, has saddled them with heavier workloads.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 6 Aug. 2025
Customs facilities in Bangladesh have endured processing delays for exports and imports for two weeks, leading to concerns of more cargo pileup and backlogs at the country’s ports and inland container depots.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 14 July 2025
Behind the leaders, cars collided in pileups that would have made headlines at Daytona.
—William Liang, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pile (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pile (up)
Verb
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Nick O’Brien also had a big day, accumulating 423 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
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Despite the changes to the law, El Salvador is still accumulating bitcoin.—
Javier Bastardo,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Chicago couldn’t discipline her for the Sky’s next game against the Indiana Fever because Reese has already been suspended for that contest due to technical foul accumulation.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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The team announced the suspension in a statement less than two hours before tipoff of Friday’s road game against the Indiana Fever, for which Reese already was suspended because of an accumulation of technical fouls.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Keep scrolling for fall decor picks from the Magnolia collection at Target, starting at $5.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
-
One thing that is in your control is having a trustworthy collection of travel bags.—
Rachel Trujillo,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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More than 100 people gathered at Idaho Capitol steps on Friday evening for the second annual Boise Trans March to rally for LGBTQ+ rights in Idaho — a state where these groups feel under attack.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Remove wood piles and clutter, seal cracks and leaks, and keep your floors, counters, and appliances clean to prevent pests from entering.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Sep. 2025
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Making its debut at IFA this year, the Roborock Curv 2 Pro can raise itself even higher than its predecessor to clear plushy carpets or lower itself down for a better clean on low-pile rugs.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In jumbles of old stones that, to me, are barely legible as the remains of buildings, Cocon López could see the entire timeline of old Aké and how later people interacted with and repurposed what came before.—
Lizzie Wade,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 May 2025
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Baker also leads the orchestra, which sounds grand — although the sound in the arts center’s Pugh Theater often left musicians, lead singers and chorus all at the same level, with actors speaking over all of it at the same time to create a sonic jumble.—
Matthew J. Palm,
Orlando Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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In the new location, a mixture of booths and light-wood tables cover the floor.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
4 Sep. 2025
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The mixture is generally safe in small amounts, but excessive intake can cause side effects, such as tooth erosion and stomach upset.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Could only participate, if surreptitiously, in this long-overdue cumulation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pile (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pile%20%28up%29. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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