Erect — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /i-ˈrekt/

Meaning & Definition of Erect

Erect (adjective)

  1. vertical in position; also, not spread out or decumbent
  2. standing up or out from the body
  3. characterized by firm or rigid straightness in bodily posture

Erect (verb)

  1. to put up by the fitting together of materials or parts, build
  2. to fix in an upright position
  3. to cause to stand up or stand out

Erect (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. rising straight up

    "a lone tree remained erect after the terrible tornado had passed"

    similar: perpendicular, plumb, raised, standing, stand-up, upright, upstanding, vertical
    related: elevated, lifted, upended, upraised, semierect, freestanding, stand-alone
    opposite: flat, recumbent
    near: prostrate, supine, diagonal, hanging, sagging, slant, slanted, slanting, slanty

Erect (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to fix in an upright position

    "the tribes of the Pacific Northwest erected totem poles in front of their dwellings"

    similar: pitch, put up, raise, rear, set up, upend, upraise
    related: brace, buttress, prop (up), shore (up), support, boost, crane, elevate, heave, heft, heighten, hike, hoist, jack (up), lift, perk (up), pick up, up, uphold, uplift
    near: demolish, flatten, knock down, level, raze, tear down

  2. to form by putting together parts or materials

    "we'd better erect some sort of shelter before these woods are in total darkness"

    similar: assemble, build, confect, construct, fabricate, make, make up, piece, put up, raise, rear, set up, put together
    related: carpenter, fashion, forge, frame, hammer, handcraft, manufacture, mold, produce, shape, prefabricate, begin, coin, create, generate, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, invent, originate, constitute, establish, father, found, institute, organize, conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), design, devise, imagine, think (up), reassemble, rebuild, reconstruct, redevelop, reedify (British), retrofit, jerry-build, rig (up), throw up, combine, unite
    opposite: demount, disassemble, dismantle, dismember, knock down, strike, take down, tear down
    near: demolish, destroy, devastate, flatten, level, pull down, pulverize, raze, ruin, ruinate, shatter, smash, wreck, blow up, explode, detach, disengage, disconnect, disjoin, disunite, divide, separate

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Erect

The most common words with a similar meaning to Erect:

perpendicular, plumb, raised, standing, stand-up, upright, upstanding, vertical, pitch, put up, raise, rear, set up, upend, upraise, assemble, build, confect, construct, fabricate, make, make up, piece, put together

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Erect

Words with the opposite meaning of Erect:

flat, recumbent, demount, disassemble, dismantle, dismember, knock down, strike, take down, tear down

Related Words for Erect

elevated, lifted, upended, upraised, semierect, freestanding, stand-alone, brace, buttress, prop (up), shore (up), support, boost, crane, elevate, heave, heft, heighten, hike, hoist, jack (up), lift, perk (up), pick up, up, uphold, uplift, carpenter, fashion, forge

Near Antonyms of Erect

prostrate, supine, diagonal, hanging, sagging, slant, slanted, slanting, slanty, demolish, flatten, level, raze, destroy, devastate, pull down, pulverize, ruin, ruinate, shatter, smash, wreck, blow up, explode, detach, disengage, disconnect, disjoin, disunite, divide

Word Forms of Erect

Inflections: erected, erecting, erects

Derived words: erectly (adverb), erectness (noun), erectable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Erect

Middle English, from Latin erectus, past participle of erigere to erect, from e- + regere to lead straight, guide right

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Erect

Words & Phrases Containing Erect

semi-erect, reerect

Frequently Asked Questions about Erect

What does "Erect" mean?

"Erect" means vertical in position; also, not spread out or decumbent. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: vertical in position; also, not spread out or decumbent. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Erect"?

Other words for "Erect" include perpendicular, plumb, raised, standing, stand-up, upright, upstanding and vertical. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Erect" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Erect"?

There are 96 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Erect". Common alternatives include perpendicular, plumb, raised, standing, stand-up, upright, upstanding, vertical, pitch and put up.

What is the opposite of "Erect"?

Antonyms of "Erect" include flat, recumbent, demount, disassemble, dismantle, dismember, knock down and strike. Near antonyms include prostrate, supine, diagonal and hanging.

How do you use "Erect" in a sentence?

Examples of "Erect" in a sentence: "a lone tree remained erect after the terrible tornado had passed"; "the tribes of the Pacific Northwest erected totem poles in front of their dwellings"; "we'd better erect some sort of shelter before these woods are in total darkness".

Is "Erect" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Erect" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Erect" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Erect" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Erect"?

"Erect" is pronounced /i-ˈrekt/.