NYT Dictionary

BUILD

/bɪld/
VerbNounBILDGrade 4

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2020, 2023, 2025, 2026

Meaning

To form (something) by combining materials or parts.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *buþlijan Old English bytlan Middle English bylden English build From Middle English bilden, bulden, bylden, from Old English byldan and bytlan, bytlian (“to build”), from Proto-West Germanic *buþlijan (“to build”), from Proto-Germanic *buþlą, *bōþlą (“house, dwelling, farm”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to become, grow, thrive, be, live, dwell”). Related to Old English botl (“building, house”). More at bottle. False cognate of German bilden.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

createbuild upenlargeincreasestrengthenbasefoundgroundconstructerect

Antonyms

demolishdestroyruinwreckdecreasedissipateweakendisassembledismantleknock down

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 3 recorded puzzles:

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