build
build — verb
1. to make a structure such as a house or bridge by joining materials together.
to make a structure such as a house or bridge by joining materials together.
Workers built a stone bridge across the river before the winter storms arrived.
build + structure noun
Aiko and her father built a tree house behind the garage last summer.
build + place for living or play
The company plans to build three new clinics in rural Kenya.
Beavers build strong dams with branches, mud, and wet grass.
build + with + material
- build a house
- build a bridge
- build a wall
- build with brick
Grammar Patterns
build + noun (house, bridge, wall)
build + with/from + material
Usage Note
Used for physical structures or places made from materials. It can also appear without an object when the activity is understood, as in 'They build for a living.'
Common Mistakes
2. to slowly create and strengthen something through time, effort, or repeated acti
to slowly create and strengthen something through time, effort, or repeated action.
Mei built a loyal customer base by answering every message herself.
build + customer base
Years of late practice built Hana's confidence before the piano contest.
build + confidence
The charity built strong links with village schools over many summers.
Small daily walks built her strength after the long hospital stay.
build + strength gradually
- build trust
- build confidence
- build a business
- build links
- develop
broader and slightly more neutral
- establish
stresses making something firmly exist
- strengthen
focuses on making something stronger rather than simply creating it
Grammar Patterns
build + noun (trust, confidence, business, reputation)
Usage Note
The object is usually something that grows step by step, such as trust, strength, a business, or a reputation. Distinguish from sense 4, where the feeling or pressure becomes stronger by itself.
Common Mistakes
3. to make a finished object or system by joining pieces or by carrying out each st
to make a finished object or system by joining pieces or by carrying out each stage in order.
Ravi built the bookcase from flat boards and a bag of screws.
build + object + from + parts
The students built a small robot by following the guide step by step.
build + by following instructions
Our design team built the website with simple tools and clear menus.
Nadia built a paper kite from bamboo sticks and bright red string.
build + handmade object
- build a robot
- build a website
- build from a kit
- build step by step
- assemble
focuses on joining prepared parts together
- make
more general and less specific about parts or process
- put together
informal; often used for kits or simple objects
- dismantle
to take something apart
- take apart
everyday phrase for separating the pieces
Grammar Patterns
build + noun (robot, shelf, website, model)
build + noun + from + parts/materials
Usage Note
This sense is common for products, machines, models, and digital systems. Distinguish from sense 1, which is mainly about structures such as houses, roads, and bridges.
Common Mistakes
4. to become greater or more powerful little by little, especially of feelings, pre
to become greater or more powerful little by little, especially of feelings, pressure, or support.
As the final song began, excitement built across the packed stadium.
intransitive: emotion builds
Dark clouds gathered, and tension built in the fishing village.
build + in + place
Support built quickly after the nurse shared the missing child's photo.
build + quickly
For weeks, pressure built inside the company before the director resigned.
- tension builds
- pressure builds
- support builds
- excitement builds
Grammar Patterns
build + adverb
build + in/inside/across + place
build to + climax/peak
Usage Note
This sense does not take a direct object. The subject is usually a feeling, a crowd reaction, support, or pressure that rises on its own.
build around
phrasal verbTo create or develop something with a particular person or thing as its main focus.
The company built its marketing strategy around customer feedback.
They built the entire course around a single textbook.
build in
phrasal verbTo include something as a permanent part of a structure, plan, or system.
The architect built in extra storage space under the stairs.
We should build in some flexibility to the schedule.
build into
phrasal verbTo make something a permanent part of a larger structure, system, or plan.
Safety features were built into the design of the new car.
The company built a reward system into its employee policies.
build on
phrasal verbTo use something as a base for further development or progress.
The teacher built on the students' existing knowledge of math.
We can build on last year's success to grow the business.
build onto
phrasal verbTo add a new part to an existing building or structure.
The family built onto their house to create a larger kitchen.
They plan to build onto the garage to fit two cars.
build up
phrasal verbTo increase or develop something gradually over time.
Regular exercise helps build up muscle strength.
She built up a successful business from nothing.
build up to
phrasal verbTo prepare for or gradually reach a climax or important event.
The tension built up to the final scene of the movie.
The campaign built up to the election day with rallies.
To make plans or have dreams that are impossible or very unlikely to happen.
Mia spent her youth building castles in the air about becoming a famous singer.
Instead of building castles in the air, focus on achievable goals.
Used to say that important or difficult tasks take a long time and cannot be done quickly.
Don't worry about slow progress; Rome wasn't built in a day.
Learning a new language takes time—Rome wasn't built in a day.
build — noun
1. a person's body type, especially how broad, thin, muscular, or heavy they are.
a person's body type, especially how broad, thin, muscular, or heavy they are.
Although Theo is short, his strong build helps him lift heavy boxes.
adjective + build
The doctor noted Mina's slight build before checking her blood pressure.
slight build
With his broad build, Ravi looked older than the other swimmers.
The rescue dog has a compact build and unusually powerful back legs.
build for body form
- slight build
- strong build
- broad build
- compact build
Grammar Patterns
adjective + build (slight, strong, broad)
Usage Note
Most often used after an adjective, especially in descriptions such as 'slight build', 'medium build', or 'solid build'.
2. how well a product is put together, including its strength, finish, and overall
how well a product is put together, including its strength, finish, and overall feel.
The camera's metal build survived two long trips through Patagonia.
product noun + build
Drivers praised the truck's solid build and quiet doors.
solid build
This laptop's light build slips easily into a backpack, yet the case feels strong.
The blender's cheap build showed in the loose handle and thin plastic.
cheap build
- solid build
- light build
- cheap build
- metal build
- construction
more technical; stresses how the parts are made and arranged
- make
slightly old-fashioned or technical in this noun sense
Grammar Patterns
adjective + build (solid, light, cheap)
Usage Note
Common with products such as cars, cameras, phones, and tools. It refers to overall make and feel, not only one part.
3. a particular version of software, a game, or a website prepared for testing or r
a particular version of software, a game, or a website prepared for testing or release.
The team sent us a new build of the app before Friday's demo.
build of + app
Players found three sound bugs in the latest game build.
latest game build
This build runs faster on older phones than last month's release.
Engineers pulled the build after users reported a blank home screen.
pull a build
- new build
- beta build
- latest build
- stable build
Grammar Patterns
build of + software/game/app
latest/new/beta build
Usage Note
This sense names the finished version itself. Distinguish from noun sense 4, where build means the process of producing that version.
4. the work of making a software version and turning code into something ready to t
the work of making a software version and turning code into something ready to test or use.
The build took ten minutes because the photo files were huge.
the build = build process
During the nightly build, one broken line stopped the whole system.
nightly build
After lunch, the build finished and the testers installed it.
A failed build delayed the update until the next morning.
failed build
- nightly build
- failed build
- clean build
- build finished
- compilation
more technical; focuses on turning code into a runnable form
- release cycle
broader; includes steps beyond the build itself
Grammar Patterns
nightly/clean/failed build
Usage Note
Usually singular in software teams, and often modified by words such as 'nightly', 'failed', or 'clean'. Distinguish from noun sense 3, which refers to the resulting version.
5. a newly completed structure, or one that is still going up.
a newly completed structure, or one that is still going up.
The new build now stands beside the old brick clinic.
new build = newly built structure
Buyers toured the riverside new build while workers were still fitting windows.
property use: riverside new build
Scaffolding still covered one side of the school's new build on opening day.
The new build across the street has changed our kitchen view.
new build as countable property noun
- hospital build
- school build
- waterfront build
- apartment build
- construction
more technical; often used in project contexts
- development
broader; may include several buildings or a whole site
Grammar Patterns
modifier + build (hospital, school, apartment)
Usage Note
Mostly found in property, planning, or construction talk. It refers to the structure itself, not to the work period.
6. the work involved in raising a new building from the ground.
the work involved in raising a new building from the ground.
Street noise grew louder once the build started at dawn.
build = construction period
Heavy rain slowed the build for nearly two weeks in March.
the build = construction work
Safety checks were added during the build of the new sports hall.
During the build, cranes and cement trucks filled the road each morning.
build creating work and activity
- school build
- museum build
- stadium build
- airport build
- construction
the broad everyday word for the work of building
- development
can include planning and wider site work as well
Grammar Patterns
modifier + build (museum, airport, stadium)
Usage Note
This sense refers to the construction work or project period. Distinguish from noun sense 5, which refers to the finished or rising structure.
7. a steady rise in excitement, force, or emotion in music, stories, or events.
a steady rise in excitement, force, or emotion in music, stories, or events.
The film's slow build made the final chase feel even more shocking.
slow build in a story
You can hear a careful build in the drums before the singer returns.
build in music
The novel loses its build when the detective keeps cracking jokes.
Drums and crowd noise added to the build before the champion entered the ring.
add to the build
- slow build
- careful build
- build in the drums
- add to the build
Grammar Patterns
slow/careful build
build in + music/story
Usage Note
Often used for the way tension rises toward an important moment. Common with adjectives such as 'slow' or 'careful'.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/2
For this sense, build stresses slow growth from steady effort. You build trust, confidence, a customer base, or a reputation piece by piece. Develop is broader and can describe natural change as well as planned improvement, so it often sounds less concrete. Establish focuses on getting something firmly started or accepted, especially a business, system, or rule. Create is the widest verb of all: it can mean bringing something into existence, even if the process is quick. Strengthen overlaps when the thing already exists and becomes harder to break or damage. Compare: 'Mei built trust with her clients over time.' 'The school established a new lunch program in April.'
Common collocations
Etymology
The verb goes back to late Old English byldan or bytlian, a word connected with botl, meaning a dwelling or house. In its earliest use, it referred mainly to putting up a house. During Middle English, it became the usual verb for constructing something, replacing older forms in many contexts. From that physical idea, English later extended build to making objects, developing businesses and relationships, and describing feelings or pressure that rise step by step. The noun senses grew from the verb, first for a structure or manner of construction, and later for body shape and software versions.