- present participle of build.
building
Americannoun
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buildings
plural
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a relatively permanent enclosed construction over a plot of land, having a roof and usually windows and often more than one level, used for any of a wide variety of activities, as living, entertaining, or manufacturing.
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anything built or constructed.
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the act, business, or practice of constructing houses, office buildings, etc.
noun
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something built with a roof and walls, such as a house or factory
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the act, business, occupation, or art of building houses, boats, etc
Synonym Usage
Building, edifice, structure refer to something built. Building and structure may apply to either a finished or an unfinished product of construction, and carry no implications as to size or condition. Edifice is a more formal word and narrower in application, referring to a completed structure, and usually a large and imposing one. Building generally connotes a useful purpose (houses, schools, business offices, etc.); structure suggests the planning and constructive process.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of building
First recorded in 1250–1300, building is from the Middle English word byldinge. See build, -ing 1
Explanation
Building is the process of making something. Building Lego cities and towns is the favorite activity of many kids. When a construction company is building a structure like a grocery store or a school, you can say it's building a building. Anything from a small house to a skyscraper can be called a building, and both meanings of the word come from the verb build, with its Old English root byldan, "build or construct a house."
Vocabulary lists containing building
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.
See Examples For:
Rival Mattel reported strong sales growth in its most recent quarter with demand buoyed by sales to retailers and demand for action figures, building sets and games across both its North America and international operations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
“We provide critical public safety infrastructure for our customers, and we will never be done building safer and safer products.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner suggested some of the new homes will be built by councils, saying she and the prime minister were "doing everything we can to get councils building once again".
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Without electricity, Basu couldn’t access her car from the building garage, an entrance that’s powered by electricity, so she walked 15 minutes to her dinner with a friend.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Ba’s ship ticket, the money advanced for purchases on his trip, the rent for our building .
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
But he added: "Maybe he believes that statues and buildings and other things named for him will substitute for the kind of performance in office that makes you a memorable president."
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
"Every one of us has been in buildings from time to time that have asbestos in them," said Helen.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
At her high school, phones will be banned in corridors and school buildings from the start of term, but allowed outdoors.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
Cardiff Council added that it had "robust and well-established" plans to manage asbestos in its buildings.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
“People got on the roofs of buildings for a better view, but it just looked like a lot of black rain clouds,” said Fullmer.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
