pile (up) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of pile (up)next
as in to accumulate
to gradually form into a layer, pile, or mass snow piling up in the driveway at a rapid pace

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pileup

2 of 2

noun

ˈpī(-ə)l-ˌəp How to pronounce pileup (audio)
as in accumulation
a mass or quantity that has piled up or that has been gathered over a period of time a pileup of e-mail messages that needed to be dealt with

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 pile (up)
Noun
Rideshare vehicles, commercial trucks, and multi-car pileups bring in extra insurance layers and additional parties that complicate everything. — Kaitlyn Gomez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2026 As recent South Florida pileups have shown, disputes over who started a wreck can become the entire legal fight when a 51% fault-finding means the difference between compensation and walking away empty-handed. — Matthew Kayser, Miami Herald, 25 June 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 The pileup also included past All-Star winners and series champions Blaney and Elliott, as well as Daniel Suarez, John Hunter Nemechek and Michael McDowell. — ABC News, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for pile (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pile (up)
  1. accumulate
  2. accumulation
  3. gather
  4. collection
  5. pile
  6. jumble
  7. mixture
  8. gathering
Verb
  • In Gaza City alone, around 25 million tons of debris have accumulated, Mohanna said.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • Jamestown Canyon virus accumulates genetic changes 10 to 100 times more slowly per calendar year than dengue, Rift Valley fever or chikungunya.
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of accumulate
Noun
  • Ocean heat content — a measure of heat stored through the upper layers of the ocean — has reached record highs in recent years, reflecting a long-term accumulation of heat across the global ocean.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • Ultimately, managing one's emotions is paramount for true wealth accumulation.
    — ByGabriel Shahin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of accumulation
Verb
  • Once the excitement had died down, the team gathered in a circle and a player went up to Haaland, grabbed the back of his neck and kissed his cheek.
    — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 6 July 2026
  • He was surrounded by beige pleather armchairs gathered around low tables adorned with silk flowers.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of gather
Noun
  • The location is now a collection of cold storage facilities, parking lots and warehouses in Skid Row near its boundary with the Arts District.
    — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • And cadets were on the hunt for unique pieces to add to their collections.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of collection
Noun
  • Baby Boomers, meanwhile, are armed with piles of cash and plenty of time, giving them more flexibility for travel.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • As her daughter sweeps away the last piles of sand, 54-year-old Nuru Mohammed directs women hanging fishing nets to serve as décor.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 July 2026
Definition of pile
Noun
  • Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
    — Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of jumble
Noun
  • Spread 2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture evenly over 1 side of each bread slice.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 6 July 2026
  • Phthalates are used in some plastics and are also associated with fragrance mixtures, while parabens are preservatives found in some cosmetics and personal care products.
    — Brad Reisfeld, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
Definition of mixture
Noun
  • Political conventions are typically massive gatherings reserved for presidential election years, where parties formally nominate their candidates for the general election.
    — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • See how designer Hattie Sparks Collins gave her in-laws' new build to a sunny dose of gathering-place nostalgia.
    — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 30 June 2026
Definition of gathering

Browse Nearby Words

piles (up)
pile (up)
pileup
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Cite this Entry

“Pile (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pile%20%28up%29. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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