pileup

Or pile-up

[pahyl-uhp]

noun

1. a massive collision of several or many moving vehicles.

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of pileup¹

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

Example Sentences

In the middle of the night … I’m still haunted by this mawkish pileup of gospel signifiers.

From Los Angeles Times

Behind the leaders, cars collided in pileups that would have made headlines at Daytona.

From Los Angeles Times

A rare dust storm caused a multi-vehicle pileup and shut off power to Central Valley residents Monday.

From Los Angeles Times

In the final scene, the mix of secondary voices, pinballing among cast members, makes for a confusing pileup.

From Los Angeles Times

Yet, what grounds the story amid the pileup of sci-fi terms and lore is the convincingly intense bond that these male protagonists have nurtured.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accumulation