congregate

American  

[kong-gri-geyt, kong-gri-git, -geyt] / ˈkɒŋ grɪˌgeɪt, ˈkɒŋ grɪ gɪt, -ˌgeɪt /

verb (used without object)

congregated, congregating

1. to come together; assemble, especially in large numbers.

   People waiting for rooms congregated in the hotel lobby.

   Synonyms:

   cluster, throng, collect, gather

---

verb (used with object)

congregated, congregating

1. to bring together in a crowd, body, or mass; assemble; collect.

adjective

1. congregated; assembled.

2. formed by collecting; collective.

congregate British  

verb

1. to collect together in a body or crowd; assemble

---

adjective

1. collected together; assembled

2. relating to collecting; collective

Other Word Forms

• congregative adjective
• congregativeness noun
• congregator noun
• decongregate verb
• noncongregative adjective
• uncongregated adjective
• uncongregative adjective

Etymology

Origin of congregate

1350–1400; Middle English (adj.) < Latin congregātus (past participle of congregāre to flock together), equivalent to con- con- + greg- (stem of grex ) flock + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Groups of men congregate in conference, smoking and whispering on the lawns.

From Literature

He explained that, if seals have smaller areas of sea ice available to them, they will congregate in those smaller areas, presenting easier collective pickings for bears.

From BBC

Demonstrators congregated in front of the federal building, many of them chanting, “The people united will never be defeated.”

From Los Angeles Times

"We really strongly advocate that nobody swim or surf near river mouths because it's obviously an area where sharks congregate," Pearce said.

From BBC

Glasner congregated all his players and staff at the club's training ground just before noon on Friday.

From BBC

Related Words

• bunch up
• converge
• flock
• gather
• swarm
• throng