# build up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/build-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To accumulate: to increase incrementally or continually.

## Examples

- Stress can build up if you do not take breaks.
- If you do not clean your room, the dust will build up over time.
- As the deadline approached, the pressure began to build up, forcing the team to work through the night to finish the project.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.