build in

British  

verb

1. (tr, adverb) to incorporate or construct as an integral part

   to build in safety features

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build in Idioms  

1. Also, build into. Construct or include as an integral part; also, make automatic, concomitant, or inherent. For example, Frank Lloyd Wright liked to build in as much furniture as possible, not just bookcases but desks, tables, and the like, or We've got to build some slack into the schedule for this project. The literal usage referring to physical objects dates from the late 1920s. The figurative arose a decade or so later. Both are frequently used in past participle form, that is, built in.

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Example Sentences

Just last year, Sternberg walked away from what looked like a completed agreement to receive $730 million in public funding to build in St. Petersburg.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

“We’ve fought together for our schools, our streets, and our families ever since. ... That’s not something you build in a campaign — it’s earned, day by day.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026

We also build in some expectations of banks’ shareholder-unfriendly actions.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

Tuesday will be a mostly sunny day, especially across England and Wales but cloud will build in Northern Ireland and western Scotland with a few showers.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

I felt a wave of sickness begin to build in my gut.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Related Words

• add
• build
• carry
• combine
• comprise
• consist of
• cover
• encompass
• enter
• have
• hold
• incorporate
• introduce
• receive