amass

American  

[uh-mas] / əˈmæs /

verb (used with object)

1. to gather for oneself; collect as one's own.

   to amass a huge amount of money.

   Synonyms:

   accumulate

2. to collect into a mass or pile; gather.

   He amassed his papers for his memoirs.

   Synonyms:

   aggregate, assemble

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verb (used without object)

1. to come together; assemble.

   crowds amassing for the parade.

amass British  

/ əˈmæs /

verb

1. (tr) to accumulate or collect (esp riches, etc)

2. to gather in a heap; bring together

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Other Word Forms

• amassable adjective
• amasser noun
• amassment noun
• reamass verb (used with object)
• reamassment noun

Etymology

Origin of amass

First recorded in 1475–85; from French amasser, equivalent to a- a- ⁵ ( def. ) + masse mass ( def. ) + -er, infinitive suffix

Example Sentences

As a result of the war, London has amassed its largest military footprint in the Middle East in the last 15 years, a senior British official said.

From The Wall Street Journal

By the time Wayne Gretzky retired from the National Hockey League in 1999 as the greatest player ever, Michael Jordan had amassed six National Basketball Association championships and 10 scoring titles.

From The Wall Street Journal

Inside the stainless-steel pot, blue corn powder was amassing into tiny balls that grew into dense lumps.

From Literature

She stepped down as attorney general, but amassed even greater influence as Maduro’s right hand, able to direct policy and distribute favors without restriction.

From The Wall Street Journal

One of the numbers frequently cited as a testament to Bell Labs’ innovation is the patents the organization amassed—now around 30,000.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• assemble
• collect
• compile
• garner
• hoard
• stockpile