1
as in increasing
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
static electricity built up on the cat's fur
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in growing (in)
to gradually increase in
the roller coaster built up momentum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in accumulating
to gradually form into a layer, pile, or mass
evidence that the toxic chemical builds up in the bloodstream to unhealthy levels
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in expanding
to make greater in size, amount, or number
he patiently built up his coin collection over several decades the young stockbroker worked hard to build up a clientele
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of building up
Long is in the process of building up to full fitness following his return from Achilles surgery.
—
Josh Gross, Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
The divisions underscore the West’s challenges in combating China; following decades of building up its supply chains, Beijing now controls 90% of global processing.
—Semafor Events, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Aside from building up a slight static charge, the Artemis 2 commander said the flywheel was impressive.
—Tariq Malik, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Helping the club’s cause was Schlittler, who was expectedly restricted to 68 pitches after a spring training back/lat injury prevented him from fully building up.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
This person suggested that the legislation could become more powerful if combined with local streamer content quotas, building up a more holistic framework that would support commissions from all players.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
In the earliest of these changes, a tangled version of a protein called tau starts building up in a tiny region deep in the brain involved in sleep, attention and alertness, called the locus coeruleus.
—Elizabeth Riley, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
Analysts have observed that Moscow has been building up reserves and its operations are expected to gain tempo as the spring warmth dries the terrain.
—ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
That desire has been building up within Lebanon among very different population groups, including the other political parties.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Josh Gross, Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
The divisions underscore the West’s challenges in combating China; following decades of building up its supply chains, Beijing now controls 90% of global processing.
—Semafor Events, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Aside from building up a slight static charge, the Artemis 2 commander said the flywheel was impressive.
—Tariq Malik, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Helping the club’s cause was Schlittler, who was expectedly restricted to 68 pitches after a spring training back/lat injury prevented him from fully building up.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
This person suggested that the legislation could become more powerful if combined with local streamer content quotas, building up a more holistic framework that would support commissions from all players.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
In the earliest of these changes, a tangled version of a protein called tau starts building up in a tiny region deep in the brain involved in sleep, attention and alertness, called the locus coeruleus.
—Elizabeth Riley, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
Analysts have observed that Moscow has been building up reserves and its operations are expected to gain tempo as the spring warmth dries the terrain.
—ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
That desire has been building up within Lebanon among very different population groups, including the other political parties.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for building up
Verb
-
These organizations, striving to fill the information gap created by the state government’s increasing drift toward secrecy — can’t rely on taxpayers to pay their bills.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
These changes were to be achieved by increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, decreasing the consumption of meat and eggs, and substituting nonfat milk for whole milk.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The case was dismissed after Sinbad failed to meet the court’s repayment plan requirements, allowing his tax debts to continue accumulating.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
-
Use a drain catcher to stop hair and debris from accumulating.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Southern Anoka County Assistance food shelf (SACA) is expanding to meet a growing need in Columbia Heights.—
Ashley Grams,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The store initially sold ice cream before expanding to chocolates in 1965.—
Clare Fisher,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Firefighters witnessed a rare ‘ash devil’ while battling the Trinity fire in San Bernardino County — a whirling column of hot ash and embers created when rising heat meets shifting winds.—
Blanca Begert,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
-
Those on the left see rising costs as an opportunity to advance their big government agenda.—
Star Parker,
Boston Herald,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Even as anthropologists were decisively abandoning totemism, however, the idea was gaining cultural credibility elsewhere.—
Glenn Adamson,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
And Chinese carmakers are fast gaining market share there.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
Verb
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The growing fleet is accelerating development by generating large-scale data for Helix, the company’s humanoid AI model, while enabling real-world deployment across research, commercial, and domestic use cases, according to a blog by Figure.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Polls show Americans are angry — and rightly so — at accelerating medical bills.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Complications from measles include ear infections, hearing loss, pneumonia, croup, diarrhea, blindness, and swelling of the brain, the CDC said.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Measuring just several tens of cubic millimeters, the new microbattery eliminates many of the safety risks associated with traditional lithium-ion batteries (Li-ion), such as swelling, leakage, and overheating, by avoiding liquid electrolytes.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The San Antonio Spurs made quite the fashion statement on Sunday, April 19, when arriving to Game 1 of their first-round NBA playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers, rolling up to their home Frost Bank Center in matching suits for the eventual 111-98 win.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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The company is a portfolio holding of Osceola Capital, a private equity firm based in Tampa that specializes in taking a platform company and acquiring or rolling up smaller competitors.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Building up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/building%20up. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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