How to Use buildup in a Sentence

buildup

1 of 2 noun
  • There is a big traffic buildup on the highway.
  • Both players were given big buildups before the game.
  • You should clean the mechanism regularly to prevent buildup of dirt.
  • The buildup of ice caused a tree limb to snap the line, DeGroff said.
    — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2023
  • That could be due to a buildup of dust, dirt and lint on the filter.
    — Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 3 Sep. 2024
  • In all, despite the buildup, the IBA didn’t offer much new.
    — Sean Gregory / Paris, TIME, 5 Aug. 2024
  • Then use a long, soft brush to scrub deep down in the drain and remove any buildup.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2024
  • Duggan worked out for the Cowboys during the buildup of the NFL draft.
    — Calvin Watkins, Dallas News, 5 Apr. 2023
  • The acid in the vinegar will break down the mineral buildup.
    — Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Aug. 2024
  • But so far, the buildup to this year’s draft has stemmed from the opposite side.
    — Doug Haller, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Too much plaque buildup can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Mar. 2023
  • Dead skin cell buildup can lead to flaking and clogged pores.
    — Garrett Munce, Men's Health, 17 Jan. 2023
  • Dry very well with a towel, then poke a few holes in each with a fork to avoid the buildup of steam.
    — Lauren Joseph, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024
  • The buildup of toxins in his body had left him comatose.
    — Joseph Goldstein, New York Times, 22 Nov. 2023
  • This will help to scrub away all of the debris and buildup when washing your hair.
    — Emily Burns, ELLE, 31 Aug. 2022
  • If there is buildup stuck on the brush, scrub with something like a toothbrush.
    — Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 3 Oct. 2023
  • West mixes some wit in with the gore here, even if the payoff, alas, doesn’t rise to the level of the buildup.
    — Brian Lowry, CNN, 4 July 2024
  • There’s a lot of buildup to a single kiss between two teens.
    — Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 28 July 2023
  • The Detox shampoo claims to break down buildup without stripping the hair and scalp.
    — Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 26 Aug. 2022
  • Scrub problem areas with the paste until the buildup is gone.
    — Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
  • Pro tip: do not apply fragrance to the hair, this will cause more oil buildup in your hair.
    — Felicity Carter, Forbes, 1 July 2022
  • There were few questions in the buildup of the rematch about the Cowboys’ failures at the end of that contest.
    — Dallas News, 21 Jan. 2023
  • For buildup on the backside of the knobs, try using a toothbrush to get into the tight spaces.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2023
  • In more extreme cases, the bugs can cause buildup in the grill of a car, causing it to overheat.
    — Garfield Hylton, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Sep. 2022
  • Use this gentle shampoo to take care of any dirt, grime or buildup.
    — Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 2 June 2022
  • On Tuesday, a puck was cleared too softly to the point in the buildup to Filip Forsberg’s goal.
    — Murat Ates, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
  • This prevents a large buildup and prevents the dirt from scratching your floor.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2024
  • The aloe vera and citric acid in this stuff dig out dirt, oil, and product buildup.
    — Editors Of Men's Health, Men's Health, 24 May 2022
  • So, their spring has consisted of a hybrid buildup, stretching each out to start while knowing each might have to be available for short bursts as needed.
    — Fabian Ardaya, The Athletic, 3 Mar. 2025
  • The sushi restaurant failed a routine inspection due to mold-like buildup and food kept at unsafe temperatures.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025

build up

2 of 2 verb
  • The rear has been bumped out and built up into a third story.
    — Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 27 July 2023
  • The job and trying to build up a farm just became too much.
    — Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 27 July 2022
  • Liu likes to start off with the smallest amount and build up if needed.
    — Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023
  • This includes dirt and oil that can build up as a result of styling.
    — Essence, 3 Apr. 2024
  • This kind of patch can make CO build up in your home, cabin or camper.
    — Ted Glanzer, Hartford Courant, 24 Oct. 2022
  • But with the fans on their side in Game 3, the energy is going to build up.
    — Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 6 June 2022
  • One key protein known to build up in the brain cells of Alzheimer's patients is called tau.
    — Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
  • The issue was simply whether he would be built up enough after a slow start to the spring.
    — Evan Grant, Dallas News, 24 Mar. 2023
  • This is because the pollutants in the air build up on the glass and window frame.
    — Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Oct. 2024
  • While in the Senate, Harris built up a voting record that put her to the left of Bernie Sanders.
    — Nr Editors, National Review, 2 Aug. 2024
  • The best way to break in any hiking shoe or boot is to build up your time wearing them.
    — Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2022
  • In the week before the trip, Christopher built up his friend list and flew off to Europe with his team.
    — Chris Moody, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2023
  • The cat has to gather them in order to get a fish from the bird and that reward builds up stamina.
    — Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2024
  • Sleep helps the brain clear out waste products and toxins that build up during the day.
    — Nora Colomer, Fox News, 13 Mar. 2025
  • That drive that had been built up by being the kid on the other side of the fence — there was no longer a purpose for that.
    — David Marchese David Marchese Photograph By Mamadi Doumbouya, New York Times, 7 July 2023
  • And then each of those stories needs to build up to a season-wide story.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2022
  • Even if the gas sticks around longer, there just may not be enough to build up massive giants.
    — Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 17 Feb. 2025
  • The Dolphins have had a jillion draft picks in recent years to build up their depth.
    — Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2022
  • The Cubs have 19 Cactus League games to prepare and build up pitchers.
    — Meghan Montemurro, chicagotribune.com, 16 Mar. 2022
  • But it’s built up by linear pieces of wood going back into the frame.
    — Elizabeth Myong, Dallas News, 6 Sep. 2023
  • On the contrary, even plant oils have the same capacity to build up in your hair.
    — Neha Tandon, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2024
  • Keep a small trash can in the car for snack wrappers, empty cups and all of those pesky receipts that build up.
    — Brigitt Earley, Good Housekeeping, 15 Apr. 2023
  • In the past few weeks, Shadow has been busy bringing sticks to the nest to woo Jackie and build up their home, said Steers.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
  • After years of build up, seeing their old pictures sent me over the edge.
    — Lori Gottlieb, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2022
  • Clots can block the veins carrying blood from the brain back to the heart, causing pressure to build up in the brain itself.
    — Amanda MacMillan, Health, 9 Aug. 2023
  • While Dave's 1996 murder is not the focus of the film, the events build up to that horrific moment.
    — Town & Country, 28 Feb. 2023
  • Remember to ‘burp’ the jar daily to release the gases that build up.
    — Amanda Yeager, Baltimore Sun, 18 July 2023
  • The ask, at its core, is coming from a place of having to build up the confidence to do this work.
    — Juan A. Ramírez, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023
  • This happens when water in front of the tire builds up faster than the vehicle's weight can push water out of the way.
    — Ca Weather Bot, Sacramento Bee, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Sugar’s arrival is cleverly built up throughout the first episode.
    — Maelle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'buildup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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