built up

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

North Korea, believing that Chinese-style economic reforms would endanger the absolute control of the Kim dynasty, built up a nuclear arsenal to shore up the regime’s power indefinitely.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

The country has diversified its energy sources, including into renewables, and had built up its strategic petroleum reserve to a greater extent than others, giving it some extra cushion.

From Barron's • May 30, 2026

Homeowners stay put, enjoying ever-rising property values, while renters are forced to leave the city and start over elsewhere with no equity built up.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

To be sure, U.S. households are no longer flush with the excess savings built up during the pandemic era.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

Some locals thought that Comstock, with his aquiline nose and tan complexion, might be part American Indian—an impression that he did little to discourage as he built up his legal practice.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann