buildup
1 of 2noun
build·up ˈbild-ˌəp 
1
: something produced by building up
fluid buildup in the lungs
2
: the act or process of building up
build up
2 of 2verb
built up; building up; builds up
transitive verb
1
: to develop gradually by increments
building up endurance
built up a library
2
: to promote the health, strength, esteem, or reputation of
intransitive verb
: to accumulate or develop appreciably
builder-upper
ˈbil-dər-ˈə-pər
noun 
Synonyms
Verb
- accelerate
- accumulate
- appreciate
- balloon
- boom
- burgeon
- bourgeon
- climb
- enlarge
- escalate
- expand
- gain
- increase
- mount
- multiply
- mushroom
- proliferate
- rise
- roll up
- snowball
- spread
- swell
- wax
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun There is a big traffic buildup on the highway. You should clean the mechanism regularly to prevent buildup of dirt. Both players were given big buildups before the game. Verb static electricity built up on the cat's fur the roller coaster built up momentum
Recent Examples on the Web
Trevor Hass, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2022 Remove Any Buildup For stubborn buildup, wipe down the surfaces using a cloth dipped in a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2022 The apple cider vinegar helps to remove product buildup that dulls hair and vitamin E-rich argan oil nourishes and softens unruly strands. Elizabeth Berry, Woman's Day, 7 Sep. 2022 The shampoo's fragrance-free formula helps eliminate flakes and buildup, leaving your hair soft, clean, and conditioned. Lauren Dana Ellman, Allure, 2 Sep. 2022 This will help to scrub away all of the debris and buildup when washing your hair. Emily Burns, ELLE, 31 Aug. 2022 Ronald Reagan had reversed the U.S. malaise of the 1970s with a defense buildup and reforms that unleashed America’s private economy. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 31 Aug. 2022 But scientists wonder: Can the zombie cell buildup be stopped? Laura Ungar, The Enquirer, 31 Aug. 2022 For example, most transgenic mouse models focus on amyloid protein buildup while neglecting other crucial aspects of the disease, such as overall neurodegeneration. Agnès Lacreuse, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2022 Mariah Espada, Time, 9 Sep. 2022 Health professionals must be proactive and build up trust in advance. Mark R. Miller And Julia Haskins, STAT, 1 Sep. 2022 That gave me the confidence to continue with that and build up my product offering. Bianca Betancourt, Harper's BAZAAR, 29 Aug. 2022 The music venue was meant to be a way for Chase to activate the local music scene and build up his own projects. Annie Nickoloff, cleveland, 26 Aug. 2022 Their first bout was intended to keep Joshua busy while promoters tried to organize and build up a showdown with Tyson Fury, the World Boxing Council champion. Morgan Campbell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022 In the same way a natural infection would, this helps our immune system build up a memory of the viral antigens and teaches it to keep an eye out for them in the future. William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 12 Aug. 2022 Start slowly and build up in length and frequency of use to prevent potentially damaging the skin. Dori Price, Good Housekeeping, 9 Aug. 2022 If the opening is screened to keep out critters, be especially careful to clean the mesh frequently, so lint doesn’t build up and lead to a fire. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 8 Aug. 2022 See More
Noun
After months of buildup and anticipation — and preseason optimism from the players — a 96-yard, fourth-quarter Rutgers drive zapped any momentum Boston College football was hoping to build. Trevor Hass, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2022 Remove Any Buildup For stubborn buildup, wipe down the surfaces using a cloth dipped in a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2022 The apple cider vinegar helps to remove product buildup that dulls hair and vitamin E-rich argan oil nourishes and softens unruly strands. Elizabeth Berry, Woman's Day, 7 Sep. 2022 The shampoo's fragrance-free formula helps eliminate flakes and buildup, leaving your hair soft, clean, and conditioned. Lauren Dana Ellman, Allure, 2 Sep. 2022 This will help to scrub away all of the debris and buildup when washing your hair. Emily Burns, ELLE, 31 Aug. 2022 Ronald Reagan had reversed the U.S. malaise of the 1970s with a defense buildup and reforms that unleashed America’s private economy. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 31 Aug. 2022 But scientists wonder: Can the zombie cell buildup be stopped? Laura Ungar, The Enquirer, 31 Aug. 2022 For example, most transgenic mouse models focus on amyloid protein buildup while neglecting other crucial aspects of the disease, such as overall neurodegeneration. Agnès Lacreuse, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2022 Verb
The last several years of remote work has blurred the lines of the usual work-life balance, leading to a build up of resentment with every after-hours email or Slack message. Mariah Espada, Time, 9 Sep. 2022 Health professionals must be proactive and build up trust in advance. Mark R. Miller And Julia Haskins, STAT, 1 Sep. 2022 That gave me the confidence to continue with that and build up my product offering. Bianca Betancourt, Harper's BAZAAR, 29 Aug. 2022 The music venue was meant to be a way for Chase to activate the local music scene and build up his own projects. Annie Nickoloff, cleveland, 26 Aug. 2022 Their first bout was intended to keep Joshua busy while promoters tried to organize and build up a showdown with Tyson Fury, the World Boxing Council champion. Morgan Campbell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022 In the same way a natural infection would, this helps our immune system build up a memory of the viral antigens and teaches it to keep an eye out for them in the future. William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 12 Aug. 2022 Start slowly and build up in length and frequency of use to prevent potentially damaging the skin. Dori Price, Good Housekeeping, 9 Aug. 2022 If the opening is screened to keep out critters, be especially careful to clean the mesh frequently, so lint doesn’t build up and lead to a fire. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 8 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1555, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
building up
verb
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
- increasing
- rising
- rolling up
- swelling
- accelerating
- expanding
- climbing
- waxing
- multiplying
- intensifying
- mounting
- ballooning
- accumulating
- spreading
- booming
- mushrooming
- escalating
- proliferating
- snowballing
- enlarging
- surging
- gaining
- burgeoning
- jumping
- bourgeoning
- appreciating
- blowing up
- heightening
- puffing (up)
- skyrocketing
- rocketing
- peaking
- redoubling
- distending
- bulking
- inflating
- cresting
- crescendoing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- decreasing
- diminishing
- contracting
- lessening
- receding
- dwindling
- waning
2
as in gaining
to gradually increase in the roller coaster built up momentum Synonyms & Similar Words
- gaining
- growing (in)
- picking up
- gathering
- stepping up
- tripling (in)
- doubling (in)
- expanding
- accruing
- accumulating
- exciting
- ramping (up)
- stimulating
- jacking (up)
- maximizing
- amassing
- mounting
- enhancing
- enriching
- enlarging
- extending
- elevating
- boosting
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- decreasing (in)
- falling (in)
- losing
- declining (in)
- diminishing (in)
- tapering off
- tapering
- lessening
- dwindling
- dipping
- abating
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
- accumulating
- stacking (up)
- piling (up)
- gathering
- collecting
- massing
- amassing
- accreting
- concentrating
- conglomerating
- drifting
- agglutinating
- clumping
- banking
- lumping
- ridging
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- scattering
- dispersing
- dissipating
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
- increasing
- expanding
- accelerating
- boosting
- pumping up
- augmenting
- raising
- extending
- multiplying
- adding (to)
- enhancing
- swelling
- reinforcing
- drawing out
- enlarging
- escalating
- amplifying
- compounding
- stoking
- maximizing
- hyping
- strengthening
- intensifying
- blowing up
- upping
- aggrandizing
- racheting (up)
- following up
- supersizing
- bumping (up)
- ratcheting (up)
- fleshing (out)
- supplementing
- jumping
- developing
- skyrocketing
- booming
- spiking
- lengthening
- inflating
- prolonging
- stretching
- heightening
- beefing (up)
- complementing
- dilating
- distending
- protracting
- elongating
- accumulating
- collecting
- magnifying
- amassing
- reenforcing
- parlaying
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- subtracting (from)
- reducing
- decreasing
- diminishing
- lowering
- downsizing
- dwindling
- lessening
- abating
- shortening
- curtailing
- abridging
- minifying
- abbreviating
- contracting
- compressing
- de-escalating
- condensing
- constricting
- cutting back
- retrenching