congregate
Americanverb (used without object)
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congregates,
present (3rd person singular)
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congregated,
past participle, past
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congregating
present participle
verb (used with object)
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congregates,
present (3rd person singular)
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congregated,
past participle, past
-
congregating
present participle
adjective
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congregated; assembled.
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formed by collecting; collective.
verb
adjective
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collected together; assembled
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relating to collecting; collective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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congregativenessnoun
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congregatornoun
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decongregateverb
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congregativeadjective
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noncongregativeadjective
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uncongregatedadjective
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uncongregativeadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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congregatesimple
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congregatessimple
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have congregatedperfect
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has congregatedperfect
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am congregatingprogressive
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are congregatingprogressive
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is congregatingprogressive
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have been congregatingperfect progressive
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has been congregatingperfect progressive
Past
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congregatedsimple
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had congregatedperfect
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was congregatingprogressive
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were congregatingprogressive
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had been congregatingperfect progressive
Future
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
Explanation
Congregate is a verb that means to come together, to assemble, or to gather. At school dances, you may congregate with your friends, because you get nervous in front of kids you don't know very well. Congregate comes from Latin root words com, meaning "together" and gregare, meaning "to gather in a flock." Congregation, or a gathering or assembly, comes from the same roots, as does gregarious, an adjective describing someone who likes to gather with others to socialize. If you remember the key word is flock — what ministers often call their congregations — you should have no trouble remembering congregate means to flock together.
Vocabulary lists containing congregate
Power Prefix: con-
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The Old Man and the Sea
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
At the Duke of Wellington, Ryan McDowell, 33, a bartender who lives above the establishment, estimates about 60 customers congregate outside on a busy night.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
"They know where the species congregate and where the nursery grounds are."
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
In front of her, groups of figures congregate, the rough surfaces of their bodies—molded as if from the leftover clay that shaped Adam—testifying that they are decidedly of this world.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
While Celtic fans traditionally congregate in the Trongate and Merchant City, Rangers fans assembled in huge numbers in George Square when the Ibrox side last won the title in 2021.
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
This is where we congregate, slump into upholstery, try to catch our breath.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Instead, this 21st Century fanbase congregates more politely on TikTok, Instagram and X, where the hashtag that brings fans, Liam memes, and Bonehead jokes together, is #oasistwt.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2024
In many parts of the deepest ocean, life congregates around seeps—vents in the sea floor where gasses leak out from Earth’s innards and fuel microbial growth, attracting communities of deep-sea invertebrates.
From Science Magazine ● Feb. 8, 2022
It’s not easy to get to Westwood or Palos Verdes for the larger Memorial Day ceremonies, she said, “so everyone congregates here.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2019
The Tijaniyya group congregates on Fridays in a brownstone in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
From New York Times ● Sep. 23, 2016
The day's last flock of gray birds congregates above the seedheads of spent wildflowers and launches across the yellow green into a slate-blue sky.
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
On a sunny weekend in early May, hundreds congregated at Raw Farm for its annual Camping With the Cows event.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
But even with these measures, the unrelenting sun continues to bake the white marble surrounding the grounds of the Grand Mosque where most pilgrims have congregated in recent days.
From Barron's ● May 25, 2026
Lemon pleaded not guilty to the charges at his February arraignment, as people congregated outside the courthouse to protest the case.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026
But, it was her parents Bernie and Noel's home where the family usually congregated and where she would regularly see brothers Niall, Declan and Brendan.
From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2026
There are four more blocks to go before I know I will be in another populated area—the White House, where I’m sure people will have congregated to celebrate armistice.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
The day-long convention was over a month in the making, and it was difficult to get day laborers comfortable with congregating in person, Alvarado said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
AIS data showed the "vast majority" of vessels congregating in the East China Sea appeared to be from the eastern province of Zhejiang, where several maritime militia ports are located, said Poling.
From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026
“There are so many people walking their kids to maybe 15 different schools. And then they’re all congregating at Ralph’s afterwards. Schools start at 8, and it opens at 8.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2025
Later, Mr Sarkar’s father, who had locked in the family, saw a small crowd congregating outside their iron gate.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2024
We were discussing away, and all of a sudden, the girls started congregating, one by one, including the two new ones who have replaced Miriam and Dulce, everybody contributing their ideas.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
