Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

build in

British  

verb

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

    to build in safety features

"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

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.


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.

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

They build in operational transparency, which allows users to peek behind the curtain and be a part of how something works, not just a recipient of it.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

Annuity rates comfortably beat the 4% rule or 3.9% rule, even if you build in some inflation protection.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

I watched their wings shining like bits of chrome in the dark and felt the longing build in my chest.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd