ERECT Synonyms: 137 Similar and Opposite Words

erect 1 of 2

adjective

i-ˈrekt

Definition of erect

as in standing

rising straight up a lone tree remained erect after the terrible tornado had passed

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erect

2 of 2

verb

as in to raise

to fix in an upright position the tribes of the Pacific Northwest erected totem poles in front of their dwellings

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to build

to form by putting together parts or materials we'd better erect some sort of shelter before these woods are in total darkness

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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 erect

Adjective

My posture is erect, gait easy, expression flat, uninterested. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 21 May 2026 The solitary daisy-like golden yellow flowers emerge from slender, erect stems. — Jamie McIntosh, The Spruce, 5 May 2026

Verb

The structure was erected between 1921 and 1924 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. — David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 For half the price (or less), a fantastic and long-lasting minor-league stadium could be erected, perhaps as a jewel in the middle of a shopping, dining and nightlife district as Daytona Beach is trying to create. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for erect

Recent Examples of Synonyms for erect

Adjective

On Saturday, Pete received a standing ovation from members of the Navajo Nation who were in the stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

— Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Three years ago, fans of the Philadelphia Phillies famously buoyed the spirits of underperforming shortstop Trea Turner by giving him the same kind of standing ovation.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of standing

Verb

This comes after shares of Target spiked last Wednesday after the retailer reported second-quarter top- and bottom-line gains and raised its outlook for the year.

— Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
If passed, the USPS will raise rates by an average of 6% for retail and commercial USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and Parcel Select shipments, according to the USPS press release.

— Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of raise

Verb

Gates officially open Monday, August 31, but just over half of the attendees will arrive earlier to build the big art installations and other features of the temporary city.

— Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
Netflix long vowed to build growth rather than buy it, but more recently it's gotten a taste for M&A.

— Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of build

Adjective

Stipp emphasizes Suja Life's long-term vision, vertical integration, and brand-building expertise, aiming for sustained double-digit growth despite current market challenges.

— Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
That kind of vertical integration is becoming an increasingly important strategy across China’s EV industry.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of vertical

Verb

Charles, on the other hand, confessed to being rested and ready, despite working through a last minute technical glitch that had reared its head in the past few days.

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
The project, named Octo-Blu, started in 2024 with a first phase of lab experimentation that included determining how to rear the baby octopuses.

— Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of rear

Verb

Members maintain the club's 129-year-old building, construct new stretches of track and fix each other's trains.

— Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
Testing quantum sensing before launch Infleqtion will now construct an initial sensor head and an electronics engineering unit.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of construct

Adjective

Shawn Ryan Tackling a distance like that will need considerably more solar area, but Ryan has ruled out the obvious fix of simply widening his current upright bike and plastering it with panels.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
Once the arms and back were bolted in place, the chair was ready to flip upright.

— Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of upright

Verb

The remarkable moment was captured on video shared by the fire department, which shows one of the bears hoisting itself to the top of the large tank before jumping into some bushes.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
In McDuffie’s first two seasons, the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, then came up short of being the first team in NFL history to hoist a Lombardi Trophy in three consecutive years.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of hoist

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“Erect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erect. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of erect

adjective

verb

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