pileup

American  

[pahyl-uhp] / ˈpaɪlˌʌp /

Or pile-up

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.

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Etymology

Origin of pileup

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

Example Sentences

The California Highway Patrol responded to the vehicle pileup at 7:34 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times

A Jan. 31 pileup involved 59 cars with 10 people needing hospitalization.

From The Wall Street Journal

Lindsey believes a pileup in delays could be enough to spur a broader market correction.

From The Wall Street Journal

In my family, birthdays arrive in a cheerful pileup.

From Salon

A three-mile stretch of Highway 99 was closed for more than five hours Saturday after dense fog led to a massive vehicle pileup in Tulare County, about 40 miles north of Bakersfield.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accumulation