build on

Idioms  

1. Also, build upon. Add as an extension; use as a basis or foundation. For example, They decided to build on an addition, or She was building all her hopes on passing the exam. John Locke had this idiom in his treatise on government (1689): “Sovereignty built on ‘property’ . . . comes to nothing.” [Late 1600s]

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Example Sentences

It is also compatible with 18A designs, Intel said, so customers can build on the process node without having to redesign chips.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026

Memory and data-storage stocks Western Digital and Seagate Technology build on the previous session’s gains.

From Barron's • Jun. 16, 2026

The new findings build on years of research at King's College London examining the links between oral health and overall health.

From Science Daily • Jun. 12, 2026

Eunchae says it'll build on the party atmosphere of last year's EasyCrazyHot dates.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

There was room to grow because the piece of land from the government gave you something to build on.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

Related Words

• believe in
• bet on
• count on
• lean on
• look to
• rely on