BUILDING (UP) Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

building up

verb

present participle of build up

as in increasing

to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number static electricity built up on the cat's fur

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in growing (in)

to gradually increase in the roller coaster built up momentum

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of building up Coleman Borthwick is among the 2026 draftees building up at the Peoria Sports Complex. — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026 Government reshuffle Ahead of the next winter period, Ukraine is strengthening the defense of its energy infrastructure and building up reserves to ensure sufficient supplies of heat and electricity. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026 The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies start right after birth with three to five minutes at a time, building up to more than an hour a day. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026 And because some of these inflation drivers affect multiple sectors, costs are building up throughout the supply chain. — Elizabeth Canales, The Conversation, 16 July 2026 The former second-round pick is suddenly one of the Lakers’ primary summer league players and hopes to use the experience as an important stepping stone, building up his game while also establishing a leadership voice. — Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026 The strength of the onscreen bond between Ryan and Naim is in part due to their actors building up a real friendship before production began. — Arushi Jacob, Variety, 19 June 2026 Trash Cans Emptying the trash isn't enough to prevent funky odors from building up in your home. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 June 2026 While the petition is just the latest in an ongoing crusade to tame the streets, tension in the neighborhood is building up, and for good reason. — Anne Kadet, Curbed, 29 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for building up

Verb

The team stopped at 800 N because increasing the load further would require additional protective equipment, with a separate destructive limit test planned.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
Rattlesnake sightings are increasing across Texas, with warnings issued at schools and athletic fields.

— Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of increasing

Verb

Summary An 11-year-old Ontario entrepreneur, Ashton Meyer, transformed his $10 bin cleaning side hustle into a viral success, gaining over 110,000 Instagram followers.

— Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Visiting people in their communities and gaining firsthand insight into Norway’s diverse realities became a fundamental part of their work.

— Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of gaining

Verb

Axel Springer is expanding in the Middle East, joining a growing number of Western publishers with an editorial presence in the region — and testing a key pillar of its editorial beliefs.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Mamdani’s signature 2-K program is scheduled to launch this fall with 2,000 students in select school districts, with the goal of expanding citywide over four years.

— Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of expanding

Verb

Detectives are working to identify people involved and gathering statements from witnesses, Gonzalez said.

— Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
Summer temperatures are expected to last into October, and El Niño is currently gathering strength in the Pacific.

— Matthew Schneier, Curbed, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of gathering

Verb

Insulet’s international growth has been accelerating, with revenue rising between 30% and 32%, and full-year earnings per share growth anticipated to jump more than 30% from a year earlier.

— Harvey Stober, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Artificial intelligence is accelerating the trend by helping organizations analyze data faster and act on it more effectively.

— Dirk Naylor, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of accelerating

Verb

That mix of showers and storms continue for the rest of the week, ramping up over the weekend, with wet weather chances swelling to 60% Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

— Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
The condition may have caused pain and produced a deformation or swelling on her chest.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of swelling

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buildings

building up

builds

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“Building up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/building%20up. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of building up

verb

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