Synonyms of building up

building up

verb

present participle of build up

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

• increasing
• rising
• swelling
• rolling up
• accelerating
• expanding
• climbing
• waxing
• multiplying
• intensifying
• mounting
• accumulating
• proliferating
• escalating
• ballooning
• spreading
• mushrooming
• booming
• enlarging
• snowballing
• burgeoning
• gaining
• surging
• jumping
• appreciating
• puffing (up)
• blowing up
• skyrocketing
• heightening
• rocketing
• peaking
• redoubling
• inflating
• distending
• bulking
• cresting
• crescendoing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decreasing
• diminishing
• contracting
• lessening
• receding
• waning
• dwindling

2

as in growing (in)

to gradually increase in

the roller coaster built up momentum

Synonyms & Similar Words

• growing (in)
• gaining
• picking up
• gathering
• doubling (in)
• tripling (in)
• expanding
• exciting
• stepping up
• accruing
• accumulating
• stimulating
• ramping (up)
• mounting
• maximizing
• enhancing
• jacking (up)
• extending
• enlarging
• enriching
• amassing
• elevating
• boosting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decreasing (in)
• losing
• falling (in)
• declining (in)
• diminishing (in)
• tapering
• tapering off
• 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
• piling (up)
• stacking (up)
• gathering
• collecting
• concentrating
• amassing
• massing
• accreting
• conglomerating
• drifting
• agglutinating
• clumping
• lumping
• banking
• 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
• adding (to)
• boosting
• augmenting
• pumping up
• raising
• multiplying
• extending
• enhancing
• swelling
• reinforcing
• escalating
• enlarging
• amplifying
• maximizing
• stoking
• compounding
• intensifying
• drawing out
• strengthening
• bumping (up)
• upping
• ratcheting (up)
• blowing up
• fleshing (out)
• hyping
• racheting (up)
• supersizing
• aggrandizing
• following up
• supplementing
• jumping
• beefing (up)
• developing
• skyrocketing
• booming
• spiking
• lengthening
• inflating
• prolonging
• stretching
• heightening
• dilating
• complementing
• distending
• elongating
• magnifying
• protracting
• accumulating
• collecting
• amassing
• parlaying

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• subtracting (from)
• reducing
• decreasing
• diminishing
• lowering
• downsizing
• dwindling
• lessening
• abating
• shortening
• curtailing
• abridging
• cutting back
• minifying
• abbreviating
• contracting
• compressing
• de-escalating
• condensing
• constricting
• retrenching

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of building up

China is building up its military and AI capabilities despite limited access to advanced computer chips. — Josh Boak, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026

Boone said the final few steps for Judge’s return include building up his workload because he has been sidelined for over three months with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side. — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026

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