accretes
Builds up slowly
Accretes is the present tense of accrete, meaning to grow or accumulate gradually by addition.
The word appears most often in scientific contexts—planets accrete from dust and gas, coral reefs accrete over centuries.
More broadly, anything that builds up slowly accretes: Power accretes to those who show up consistently.
The related noun is accretion.
Particles settling in liquid
- layersStacked levels or coatings
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- strataParallel geological layers
- mineralNaturally formed crystalline solid
calcium · limestone · coral · rock · crust · buildup · deposits · formation
Attention, stake, or fee
- capitalWealth used for investment
- wealthAbundance of valuable resources
- assetsOwned items of value
- valueImportance or price
dividends · returns · portfolio · compound · principal · reinvestment · gains · equity
sediment
Particles settling in liquid
- layersStacked levels or coatings
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
- strataParallel geological layers
mineral · calcium · limestone · coral · rock · crust · buildup · deposits · formation · precipitation
interest
Attention, stake, or fee
value · dividends · returns · portfolio · compound · principal · reinvestment · gains · equity · accumulation
matter
Space-occupying substance with mass
protoplanet · gravity · nebula · planetesimal · mass · particles · cosmic · orbital · stellar · debris
accumulates
Gathers in increasing quantity
amasses · acquires · increases · adds · enlarges · expands · compounds · snowballs · multiplies · swells
accretesdisperses
Spreads widely apart
scatters · dissipates · sheds · disintegrates · fragments
accreteserodes
Wears away gradually
depletes · diminishes · sheds · dissipates · shrinks