accumulate

[ uh-kyoo-myuh-leyt ]

/ əˈkyu myəˌleɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR accumulate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.

to gather or collect, often in gradual degrees; heap up: to accumulate wealth.

verb (used without object), ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.

to gather into a heap, mass, cover, etc.; form a steadily increasing quantity: Snow accumulated in the driveway. His debts kept on accumulating.

Nearby words

acculturation, acculturationist, acculturize, accum., accumbent, accumulate, accumulation, accumulation point, accumulative, accumulator, accuracy

Origin of accumulate

1520–30; < Latin accumulātus heaped up (past participle of accumulāre), equivalent to ac- ac- + cumul(us) heap + -ātus -ate¹

Related forms

ac·cu·mu·la·ble, adjectivenon·ac·cu·mu·lat·ing, adjectiveo·ver·ac·cu·mu·late, verb, o·ver·ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, o·ver·ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.pre·ac·cu·mu·late, verb (used with object), pre·ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, pre·ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.

re·ac·cu·mu·late, verb, re·ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, re·ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.su·per·ac·cu·mu·late, verb (used without object), su·per·ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, su·per·ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.un·ac·cu·mu·la·ble, adjectiveun·ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, adjectivewell-ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for accumulate

Bolstered by the momentum of Savage, Masters continued to accumulate up-and-coming conservative talent.
The Godfather of Right-Wing Radio|Caitlin Dickson|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This means that their gene pools stagnate and accumulate increasingly harmful mutations.
Our Taste for Cheap Palm Oil Is Killing Chimpanzees|Carrie Arnold|July 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To accumulate wealth so fast and on such a scale, it is necessary to eliminate independent law enforcement.
Ukraine’s Revolutionary Lesson for Russia|David Satter|March 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Until early November it was very easy to accumulate a large amount of money by selling, and re-selling highly modified cars.
My Secret Life in Los Santos|Eli Lake|November 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST

I suspect that the answer was not to just accumulate victory points.
Tammany Hall: the Game Where You Play as a New York City Ward Boss|Noah Kristula-Green|May 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Mr. Garland's family claimed so much of my attention—in fact, I supported them—that I was not able to accumulate anything.
Behind the Scenes|Elizabeth Keckley
What do you suppose we'd be doin' with that surplus we'd accumulate?
The Great American Pie Company|Ellis Parker Butler
More dominant, however, as the weeks passed and the branding went on, became the desire to accumulate property—cattle.
Lonesome Land|B. M. Bower
The dogs at home are neat little fellows, and allow no litter to accumulate around their doors.
My Native Land|James Cox
But to accumulate, or to use capital to any considerable extent, the combination of labor is necessary.
Cotton is King and The Pro-Slavery Arguments|Various

British Dictionary definitions for accumulate

accumulate

/ (əˈkjuːmjʊˌleɪt) /

verb

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

Derived Formsaccumulable, adjectiveaccumulative, adjectiveaccumulatively, adverbaccumulativeness, noun

Word Origin for accumulate

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

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

accumulate

verb (used with object), ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.

verb (used without object), ac·cu·mu·lat·ed, ac·cu·mu·lat·ing.

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Nearby words

Origin of accumulate

Examples from the Web for accumulate

British Dictionary definitions for accumulate

accumulate

verb

Word Origin for accumulate