Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

built

American  
[bilt] / bɪlt /

verb

  1. simple past tense and past participle of build.

adjective

  1. Informal.

    1. of sound or sturdy construction.

      These cars are really built.

    2. having a good physique or figure.

      That lifeguard is really built!

  2. Nautical. noting any member or part of a vessel assembled from pieces.

    built frame; built spar.
built British  
/ bɪlt /

verb

  1. the past tense and past participle of build

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
built Idioms  

  1. see made (built) to order; not built that way; Rome wasn't built in a day. Also see under build.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of built

First recorded in 1560–70, for the adjective

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.

Built in 1860, the seven-bedroom mansion offers 8,892 square feet of living space.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

Built on standard large language models and refined using data from psychological experiments, Centaur was designed to simulate human cognitive behavior.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2026

Built in screen-time limits didn’t work; I’d just hit “ignore” over and over.

From Slate • Apr. 26, 2026

Built in 2017, the futuristic appearance continues to attract attention.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Built ten years ago, the arena is easily the largest structure in the Stilts.

From "Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.