built-in

1 of 2

adjective

1
a
: forming an integral part of a structure or object
a camera with a built-in flash
especially : constructed as or in a recess in a wall
a built-in bookshelf
b
: built into the ground
a built-in swimming pool
2
a
: inherent
a built-in advantage
b
: already established
her best-seller status gave her a built-in audience

built-in

2 of 2

noun

: a built-in piece of furniture

Examples of built-in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Underneath are built-in bikini bottoms with full butt coverage. Kristine Solomon, Travel + Leisure, 21 Mar. 2024 The teether has built-in handles and varied textures that help with developmental growth while soothing the baby’s tender gums. Maya Polton, Parents, 18 Mar. 2024 There are just too many of these projects, competing not only with one another but with ongoing series that have built-in viewer loyalty. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 An eat-in kitchen has lots of room for a casual dining nook and built-in shelving and is updated with wood-grain laminate flooring and chair rail molding. Monica Lander, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024 The soft, stretch fabric has built-in UPF 50+ to safeguard against UV rays and wicks away moisture, which is ideal for protection against the Caribbean’s rain showers and thunderstorms. Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2024 The brand’s app provides built-in Tidal, Qobuz, and MQA decoding, plus complete management of the unit. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2024 Future Ford vehicles will have the North American Charging Standard connector built-in, eliminating the need for an adapter to access Tesla Superchargers, Ford said. Detroit Free Press, 1 Mar. 2024 Each green has built-in pods that can track swathes of shot information, incorporating the PGA Tour’s ShotLink data. Jack Bantock, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
Noun
In addition, there are built-in shades on the sides that can be pulled down to give your dog darkness and security while flying to keep them calm and content. Lindsay Tigar, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2023 Pest-Deterrent Features Since squirrels often steal food from bird feeders (and damage them in the process), many of the best feeders have built-in deterrents to prevent this behavior. Kristen (kj) Callihan, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Mar. 2023 The Huawei Watch Ultimate also has diving software built-in. Andrew Williams, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2023 Many gravel bikes have built-in mounts for customizing your cargo-carrying ability. Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 22 Mar. 2023 And the most genius dresses under the sun even have built-in UV protection and use fabrics that wick sweat. Kristine Solomon, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2023 Acer The ebii has built-in lights and a single-sided fork for the front tire that saves some weight. Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 20 Mar. 2023 There's also built-in safety features, like fall and crash detection should an emergency happen. Ellen McAlpine, Men's Health, 13 Mar. 2023 Digital-to-Analog Converters The Chord Mojo ($500) is a DAC with a headphone amp built-in. Parker Hall, WIRED, 9 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'built-in.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1898, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of built-in was in 1898

Dictionary Entries Near built-in

Cite this Entry

“Built-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/built-in. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

built-in

adjective
ˈbil-ˈtin
1
: forming a permanent part of a structure or object
built-in bookcases
2
: built into the ground
a built-in swimming pool

More from Merriam-Webster on built-in

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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