accumulate

[uh-kyoo-myuh-leyt]

verb (used with object)

accumulated, accumulating 

1. to gather or collect, often in gradual degrees; heap up.

   to accumulate wealth.

verb (used without object)

accumulated, accumulating 

1. to gather into a heap, mass, cover, etc.; form a steadily increasing quantity.

   Snow accumulated in the driveway. His debts kept on accumulating.

accumulate

/ əˈkjuːmjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. to gather or become gathered together in an increasing quantity; amass; collect

Other Word Forms

• accumulable adjective
• nonaccumulating adjective
• overaccumulate verb
• preaccumulate verb (used with object)
• reaccumulate verb
• superaccumulate verb (used without object)
• unaccumulable adjective
• unaccumulated adjective
• well-accumulated adjective
• accumulative adjective
• accumulatively adverb
• accumulativeness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of accumulate¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin accumulātus “heaped up,” past participle of accumulāre “to heap up,” from ac- ac- + cumul(us) “heap” ( cumulus ( def. ) ) + -āre, infinitive verb suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of accumulate¹

C16: from Latin accumulātus, past participle of accumulāre to heap up, from cumulus a heap

Example Sentences

As the years passed, Goodall continued to track Gombe’s chimps, accumulating enough information to draw the arcs of their lives — from birth through sometimes troubled adolescence, maturity, illness and finally death.

From Los Angeles Times

But more than any other commissioner, Southers has accumulated a loud chorus of detractors who oppose keeping him in the key oversight role.

From Los Angeles Times

Beyond the vast knowledge accumulated about its genetics and the tools that make it easy to engineer, the bacterium grows quickly and predictably on a wide variety of substrates.

From BBC

Their next three drives accumulated a combined 66 yards.

From Los Angeles Times

The health department recommends emptying and scrubbing places where water accumulates, including tires, buckets, pet bowls, planters and rain barrels.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accrue 
• acquire 
• add to www.thesaurus.com
• assemble 
• collect 
• compile 
• concentrate 
• expand 
• gain 
• grow 
• hoard 
• increase 
• pile up 
• rack up 
• swell