pileup

or pile-up

[ pahyl-uhp ]

/ ˈpaɪlˌʌp /

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See synonyms for pileup on Thesaurus.com

noun

a massive collision of several or many moving vehicles.

an accumulation, as of work, chores, or bills.

a rough or disorderly falling of people upon one another, as in a football game.

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Origin of pileup

First recorded in 1825–35; noun use of verb phrase pile up

Words nearby pileup

pile-on, pileous, piles, pile shoe, pileum, pileup, pileus, pilewort, pilfer, pilferage, pilgarlic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pileup in a sentence

They think a pileup of dust could have formed between the planet’s orbit and the sun.
Born in deep shadows? That could explain Jupiter’s strange makeup|Ken Croswell|August 6, 2021|Science News For Students
They might even get to take part in one of cycling’s most prestigious and celebrated events, the Giro d’Italia, where this year the numerous pileups were merely a prelude to the “horrific conditions” in the mountains.
Would You Let Your Kid Become a Pro Cyclist?|Eben Weiss|June 4, 2021|Outside Online
The unprecedented pileup could strain global supply chains that are already stressed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Piracy fears mount as ships take long way around Africa to avoid blocked Suez Canal|Sudarsan Raghavan, Antonia Noori Farzan|March 26, 2021|Washington Post
Even light ice accumulations can cause significant travel disruptions, as with the deadly 100-car pileup in Fort Worth on Thursday morning.
Snow expected tonight, mainly south of D.C., before possible ice on Saturday|Jason Samenow, Wes Junker|February 11, 2021|Washington Post

Coach John Harbaugh was angry at the officials, believing that Steelers defenders illegally stalled during the pileup of players following a second-and-goal running play.
Steelers stay unbeaten, hold off Ravens in rare Wednesday NFL game|Mark Maske|December 3, 2020|Washington Post

British Dictionary definitions for pileup

pile up

verb (adverb)

to gather or be gathered in a pile; accumulate

informal to crash or cause to crash

noun pile-up

informal a multiple collision of vehicles

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with pileup

pile up

Accumulate, as in The leaves piled up in the yard, or He piled up a huge fortune. In this idiom pile means “form a heap or mass of something.” [Mid-1800s]

Be involved in a crash, as in When the police arrived, at least four cars had piled up. [Late 1800s]