ERECT Synonyms: 137 Similar and Opposite Words

erect 1 of 2

adjective

i-ˈrekt

Definition of erect

as in standing

rising straight up a lone tree remained erect after the terrible tornado had passed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

erect

2 of 2

verb

as in to raise

to fix in an upright position the tribes of the Pacific Northwest erected totem poles in front of their dwellings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to build

to form by putting together parts or materials we'd better erect some sort of shelter before these woods are in total darkness

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of erect

Adjective

My posture is erect, gait easy, expression flat, uninterested. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 21 May 2026 The solitary daisy-like golden yellow flowers emerge from slender, erect stems. — Jamie McIntosh, The Spruce, 5 May 2026

Verb

In Newport Beach, water from a massive swell — double the size that was initially predicted — blasted through 20-foot berms erected at the beach and inundated roads with about a foot of sea water ahead of Rachel’s arrival. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 The figures highlight the structural reliance of US tech on China, and the difficulties of erecting a materials and software firewall against Beijing. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for erect

Recent Examples of Synonyms for erect

Adjective

The Russian star's two kids handled that announcement, and the crowd gave a standing ovation.

— CBS News, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Those who want could turn the pickup bed area into a sleeping space or leave it open as a sheltered space with full standing height.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of standing

Verb

Japan has also raised concern over China's gradual escalation of its military activity around remote Japanese islands in the Pacific Ocean.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Still, Converse’s sales hemorrhage raises fair questions about whether this is more than a cyclical decline.

— Phil Wahba, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of raise

Verb

The Biden administration built it back and set a goal of admitting 125,000 refugees during the final year of his term.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
Deppert built seats in a barn to accommodate about 100 people and sold tickets for less than the Wolverines charged for entry into Recreation Park.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of build

Adjective

It has since been lifted to a vertical position and moved inside the bay alongside three other Ship upper stages still under assembly.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026
The cover lifts up and back, exposing the build platform, resin tank, and vertical motion system with generous access from the front and sides.

— Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of vertical

Verb

Of late, vigilantes have been rearing their heads in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

— RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
Many say conversations about Zionism and Israel remain fraught, that antisemitism sometimes rears its head, and that Harvard must push harder to foster free speech for all students.

— Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of rear

Verb

Dyrholm will star as a woman who is unable to acknowledge and access her own feelings and constructs intimacy by stealing objects from people instead of getting close to them.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Sheerazie, lead gardener at Pasadena’s Arlington Garden, has studied permaculture and designed and constructed a number of swales at the garden and elsewhere.

— Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of construct

Adjective

Church officials say the new burial plots would be designed to blend into the landscape, with flat, ground-level markers rather than traditional upright headstones.

— Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
The master bedroom is nearby and has enough headroom to stand upright thanks to its position on the ground floor.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of upright

Verb

The group and left-wing student organisations had urged supporters to gather at the Central Park in New Delhi’s busy Connaught Place shopping and food district on Friday evening to wave and hoist the national flag.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
The group and left-wing student organizations had urged supporters to gather at the Central Park in New Delhi’s busy Connaught Place shopping and food district on Friday evening to wave and hoist the national flag.

— Reuters, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of hoist

Browse Nearby Words

ere

erect

erected

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Erect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erect. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of erect

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes