pile on
The phrase "pile on" can describe actions of adding excessively, criticizing collectively, or physically gathering.
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Definition
B2General
(informal)To add or increase something in large amounts, often making it overwhelming.
Example
- During the holidays, people tend to pile on the pounds due to excessive eating.
- He kept piling on more tasks, making the project unmanageable.
B2Social Interaction
(informal, figurative)To join others in criticizing or attacking someone, often excessively or unfairly.
Example
- After the initial negative review, other critics began to pile on, amplifying the criticism.
- It's easy to pile on someone when they are already down.
B1Physical
(informal)When multiple people jump on top of each other in a playful or chaotic manner.
Example
- The kids decided to pile on each other during the game.
- I ended up at the bottom of the pile-on during the family reunion.
B2Sports
(informal, figurative)To unnecessarily increase the margin of a winning score.
Example
- The team continued to pile on the points even though they were already winning by a large margin.
- Critics accused the coach of piling on instead of letting the game end gracefully.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "pile on":
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