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Definition of "buildup" []

  • The act or process of amassing or increasing: a military buildup; a buildup of tension during the strike. (noun)
  • The result of building up: a pipe clogged by rust buildup. (noun)
  • Widely favorable publicity, especially by a systematic campaign: The new movie was given a tremendous buildup in the media. (noun)
  • Extravagant praise. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "buildup" in a sentence
  • "Actually, I think Obama's Afghan troop buildup is entirely practical – he's in a tough spot due to the terrible policies of the last administration and is finally putting our forces closer to where they need to be, not manufacturing evidence and making something out of nothing as Bush did with Iraq."
  • "In India, Pakistan 's weapons buildup is widely viewed as a security risk."
  • "Furthermore, Iran's current military buildup is based primarily on the perceived need to respond to the threatened US attack against that country, a concern made all the more real by the US invasion and occupation of two countries bordering Iran on both its east and west in recent years."