built-in
Americanadjective
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built so as to be an integral and permanent part of a larger construction.
The wall has a built-in bookcase.
-
existing as a natural or characteristic part of something; inherent.
a built-in contempt for daydreaming.
noun
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a built-in piece of furniture or appliance.
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an additional feature or capability, as of a machine or a service.
a car with power steering, power brakes, and other built-ins.
adjective
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made or incorporated as an integral part
a built-in cupboard
a built-in escape clause
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essential; inherent
noun
Etymology
Origin of built-in
First recorded in 1895–1900
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.
However, days after it was released, tech giants including Alibaba, Tencent and JD.com restricted the built-in assistant's access to their platforms.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
It’s a marriage of many appealing aspects for any streaming service: Commercially successful stories with a built-in fan base that come with distinctive lead characters to turn into many more sequels and spinoffs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
A built-in function lets users add films to their watchlist with the touch of a button, and watchlists are easily sortable in case you’re in the mood for something specific.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
Cardoza has copyrighted his script and characters, and aims to eventually attract major studio interest to turn his intellectual property into a film which comes with a built-in fan base.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
Clarence and Clement were checking their email on the built-in desktop tablet computers.
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
