building upon itself

USAGE SUMMARY

"building upon itself" is correct and can be used in written English.
It means that something is growing or developing further based on its own existing foundation or momentum. Example: The company's success seemed to be building upon itself, as each successful quarter led to more investments and expansion opportunities. Note: There are various ways to use "building upon itself" in a sentence, so the structure and context may differ depending on the specific meaning and use intended.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

We are witnessing a cultural shift away from violence and aggression that is building upon itself.

BBC

Despite commercial pressures and their mutative effects, it is evident that the graffiti style is alive and well and building upon itself in new ways.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Tools to assist with outbreak investigations can be developed relatively easily building upon existing databases in the hospital.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control

Building upon this, we can model a tennis tournament.

The New York Times

It's about building upon existing and potentially new connections.

Harvard Business Review

He begins: "The Founding Fathers and those in the thirteen states understood what they were building upon.

The New Yorker

"I'm really just kind of building upon what Tony had established here," Caldwell said.

The New York Times - Sports

Absurdist satire works when it undermines; it is porously unfit for building upon.

The New York Times - Books

We should be building upon such foundations for peace, not tearing them down.

The New York Times

At this height, it might be the world's tallest building upon completion in 2008 or 2009.

The New York Times

"We wanted to take a lead role in building upon the momentum".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "building upon itself" to describe processes, systems, or cultural shifts that are gaining momentum or expanding naturally from their existing base. For example, "the technology's adoption is building upon itself, creating a rapid expansion in the market".

Common error

Avoid using "building upon itself" when the growth or development is primarily driven by external factors. The phrase emphasizes self-driven, incremental improvement; ensure the context reflects this internal dynamic. For example, it would be less appropriate to say "the business is building upon itself due to external investments."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "building upon itself" functions as a gerund phrase, often used as part of a continuous verb tense to describe an ongoing process of development or growth that is self-sustaining. As Ludwig AI indicates, it signifies something growing further based on its own existing foundation or momentum.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Academia

0%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "building upon itself" is a gerund phrase that describes a self-sustaining process of growth or development. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and implies that something grows or develops further based on its own existing foundation or momentum. The phrase is most frequently found in News & Media contexts. Related phrases include "compounding its progress" and "self-amplifying growth". When using this phrase, ensure that the growth is genuinely self-driven rather than influenced primarily by external factors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

self-amplifying growth

Directly indicates that the growth is fueled by its own existing momentum.

compounding its progress

Suggests that the benefits are accumulating and amplifying over time.

leveraging its foundation

Focuses on utilizing an existing base for further development, removing the reflexive aspect.

perpetuating its advancement

Suggests continuous and self-sustaining advancement.

growing incrementally

Emphasizes gradual expansion rather than building directly on itself.

snowballing effect

Highlights the accelerating nature of growth, where each addition contributes to a larger and faster expansion. Changes the image but still contains the auto-amplifying aspect.

expanding from within

Focuses on internal development and growth instead of external factors.

progressing on its own merits

Highlights that progress is based on inherent qualities without needing external help.

developing autonomously

Implies independent development, emphasizing self-reliance.

reinforcing its structure

Focuses on strengthening an existing framework rather than growth.

FAQs

How can I use "building upon itself" in a sentence?

Use "building upon itself" to describe situations where something is growing or progressing due to its own existing momentum or foundation. For instance, "The cultural movement is "building upon itself", attracting more followers each day".

What are some alternatives to "building upon itself"?

Consider using alternatives like "compounding its progress", "self-amplifying growth", or "leveraging its foundation" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say something is "building on itself" instead of "building upon itself"?

While "building on itself" is understandable, "building upon itself" is generally considered more formal and grammatically precise, particularly in academic or professional writing. The addition of "upon" emphasizes a more deliberate and foundational aspect.

In what contexts is "building upon itself" most appropriate?

The phrase "building upon itself" is fitting when discussing cultural trends, technological advancements, or any process where each stage contributes to the acceleration or expansion of the next. Avoid using it if external influences are the primary drivers of growth.