pileup
noun
pile·up
ˈpī(-ə)l-ˌəp 
1
: a collision involving usually several motor vehicles
2
a
: a jammed tangled mass or pile (as of motor vehicles or people) resulting from collision or accumulation
b
Examples of pileup in a Sentence
A five-car pileup slowed traffic.
a pileup of e-mail messages that needed to be dealt with
Recent Examples on the Web
The price hike for any individual item will likely be modest, but the pileup of extra costs could weigh on wallets, analysts previously told ABC News.
—
Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
More than a decade of tackles, blocks and pileups has taken a toll on many former professional football players, something former Atlanta Falcons lineman Phil McKinnely knows all too well.
—Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Staffers also contacted the Colorado State Patrol, as the 70-car pileup happened, to alert law enforcement.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Further investigation revealed that the pileup occurred only on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70, the Colorado State Patrol said in a statement.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pileup
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Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
More than a decade of tackles, blocks and pileups has taken a toll on many former professional football players, something former Atlanta Falcons lineman Phil McKinnely knows all too well.
—Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Staffers also contacted the Colorado State Patrol, as the 70-car pileup happened, to alert law enforcement.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Further investigation revealed that the pileup occurred only on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70, the Colorado State Patrol said in a statement.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pileup
Cite this Entry
“Pileup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pileup. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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