congregate

American  

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

verb (used without object)

congregates, present (3rd person singular) congregated, past participle, past congregating present participle

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

   People waiting for rooms congregated in the hotel lobby.

   Synonyms:

   cluster, throng, collect, gather

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verb (used with object)

congregates, present (3rd person singular) congregated, past participle, past congregating present participle

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

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adjective

1. collected together; assembled

2. relating to collecting; collective

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has congregated
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have congregated
  perfect
• am congregating
  progressive 1st person singular
• is congregating
  progressive 3rd person singular
• are congregating
  progressive
• congregating
  participle
• congregates
  singular 3rd person
• have been congregating
  perfect progressive
• has been congregating
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular

Past

• had congregated
  perfect
• were congregating
  progressive plural
• had been congregating
  perfect progressive
• congregated
  participle
• was congregating
  progressive singular
• congregated
  simple

Future

• will congregate
  simple
• will have congregated
  perfect
• will have been congregating
  perfect progressive
• will be congregating
  progressive

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.

Example Sentences

Today, “we are licensed by the California Department of Public Health, but they look like residential homes and they feel like residential homes,” said Irene Tokar, a Congregate Living Health Facility Assn. board member.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 27, 2024

Congregate work, lack of protective equipment and inadequate ventilation at work became key factors in the spread of the virus that put these workers at elevated risk, advocates said.

From Washington Post • Aug. 18, 2022

Congregate facilities like Washington’s prisons “have additional challenges” in preventing the spread of COVID, said Strange.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 25, 2022

She said the Accountability for Congregate Care Act would set out a national bill of rights for youth in residential facilities, and urged members of Congress and President Joe Biden to pass it into law.

From BBC • Oct. 20, 2021

Congregate, kong′gre-gāt, v.t. to gather together: to assemble.—v.i. to flock together.—p.adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various

Related Words

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