Meaning & use
builder
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Meanings
nouncountable
A person or company whose job is to construct buildings or other structures.
Grammar: Countable noun: a builder, the builders, two builders. Often used with 'a' or in the plural.
Patterns
- a house builder
- a builder of something
The builders are coming next week to start work on the extension.
My uncle is a builder who specializes in restoring old houses.
We hired a local builder to put up a new fence.
nouncountable
A person or thing that develops or creates something, such as a reputation or a business.
Grammar: Often used in phrases like 'a builder of something' or 'a confidence builder'.
Patterns
- a builder of something
- a confidence builder
She is a builder of strong teams and has led several successful projects.
Winning that award was a real confidence builder for the young athlete.
Word forms
| plural | builders |
|---|
Common combinations
- house builder
- The house builder promised to finish by December.
- local builder
- We asked a local builder for a quote.
- master builder
- He was a master builder known for his detailed stonework.
- confidence builder
- The training course was a great confidence builder.
Synonyms and how they differ
- constructor
- More formal and often used for large companies rather than individuals.
- contractor
- A person or company that agrees to do work for a fixed price, often managing a project rather than doing the physical work.
Word family
Commonly confused: builder or bulider?
builder vs bulider
This is a common misspelling. The correct spelling is 'builder' with 'ui'.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
The subject 'builder' is singular, so the verb must be 'is'. Option A uses 'are' (plural), option C uses 'am' (first person), and option D uses 'be' (not standard).
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “builder”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.