pileup

noun

pile·​up ˈpī(-ə)l-ˌəp How to pronounce pileup (audio)
1
: a collision involving usually several motor vehicles
2
a
: a jammed tangled mass or pile (as of motor vehicles or people) resulting from collision or accumulation

Examples of pileup in a Sentence

A five-car pileup slowed traffic. a pileup of e-mail messages that needed to be dealt with
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Listen to this article The truck driver accused of causing a massive pileup in Texas — which left five people dead, including an infant and a child — showed signs of intoxication after the devastating crash, according to court documents. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2025 Tourists could experience long lines to get into the parks, changes in hours at visitor centers, trash pileups and restrooms that are not cleaned as frequently, Wade said. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 25 Feb. 2025 The pileup killed two, involved multiple passenger and commercial vehicles, and sparked a raging fire that damaged the tunnel's lining, highway patrol and transportation officials said at a news conference Saturday. Erick Mendoza, NBC News, 15 Feb. 2025 With park visitation expected to increase in the next year, fewer employees could translate to longer lines to get into parks, changes in park hours and more trash pileups at some locations. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pileup

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pileup was in 1900

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Cite this Entry

“Pileup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pileup. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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