built-in
Americanadjective
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built so as to be an integral and permanent part of a larger construction.
The wall has a built-in bookcase.
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existing as a natural or characteristic part of something; inherent.
a built-in contempt for daydreaming.
noun
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a built-in piece of furniture or appliance.
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an additional feature or capability, as of a machine or a service.
a car with power steering, power brakes, and other built-ins.
adjective
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made or incorporated as an integral part
a built-in cupboard
a built-in escape clause
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essential; inherent
noun
Etymology
Origin of built-in
First recorded in 1895–1900
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.
No expense was spared on the design of the home, which was originally built in 2005, with the listing calling special attention to the high-end materials used throughout.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
Noe grew up around the Jim Beam distillery, and his family’s rustic home built in 1911 remains on the campus.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
Aeralis had pitched itself as the only British firm able to supply a new advanced jet trainer that would be designed and built in the UK.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
In February, the Wende bought a three-bedroom house built in the 1940s adjacent to the museum’s campus that will be used as a live-work space for photographers in residence.
From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026
It was a private hunting estate built in the 1970s.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
