Meaning trap
build up
praise or promote
To talk about someone or something in a very positive way to make them seem important or impressive.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To talk about someone or something in a very positive way to make them seem important or impressive.
Another meaning of 'build up' is 'increase gradually'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
The manager really built up the new project in the meeting.
Sometimes, companies build up their products to attract more customers.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: They built up it too much.
Say: They built it up too much.
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'build it up'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Excessively extolled prior to release' is formal; 'built it up' is the natural, slightly wry verb.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
build up + hype
- it up
- too much
- the hype
- so much
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- build up (increase gradually) — Another meaning of 'build up' is 'increase gradually'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.