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muster

American  
[muhs-ter] / ˈmʌs tər /

verb (used with object)

  • musters,
    present (3rd person singular)
  • mustered,
    past participle,  past
  • mustering
    present participle
  1. An image of the word muster as defined by to assemble (troops, a ship's crew, etc.), as for battle, display, inspection, orders, or discharge.

    to assemble (troops, a ship's crew, etc.), as for battle, display, inspection, orders, or discharge.

    Synonyms:
    congregate, convene, convoke
    Antonyms:
    separate, scatter
  2. to gather, summon, rouse (often followed byup ).

    He mustered all his courage.


verb (used without object)

  • musters,
    present (3rd person singular)
  • mustered,
    past participle,  past
  • mustering
    present participle
  1. to assemble for inspection, service, etc., as troops or forces.

  2. to come together; collect; assemble; gather.

    Synonyms:
    congregate, convene
    Antonyms:
    separate, scatter

noun

  • musters
    plural
  1. an assembling of troops or persons for formal inspection or other purposes.

    Synonyms:
    convention, assembly, gathering
  2. an assemblage or collection.

  3. the act of mustering.

  4. Also called muster roll. (formerly) a list of the persons enrolled in a military or naval unit.

verb phrase

  1. muster out to discharge from service in the armed forces.

    He will be mustered out of the army in only two more months.

  2. muster in to enlist into service in the armed forces.

idioms

  1. pass muster,

    1. to pass a cursory inspection.

    2. to measure up to a certain standard; be adequate.

      Your grades don't pass muster.

muster British  
/ ˈmʌstə /

verb

  1. to call together (numbers of men) for duty, inspection, etc, or (of men) to assemble in this way

    1. to enlist into military service

    2. to discharge from military service

  2. (tr) to round up (livestock)

  3. to summon or gather

    to muster one's arguments

    to muster up courage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. an assembly of military personnel for duty, inspection, etc

  2. a collection, assembly, or gathering

  3. the rounding up of livestock

  4. a flock of peacocks

  5. to be acceptable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
muster More Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing muster


Synonym Usage

See gather.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future


Etymology

Origin of muster

1250–1300; Middle English mostren (v.) < Old French mostrer < Latin mōnstrāre to show, derivative of mōnstrum unnatural event; see monster


Explanation

Originally meaning "to gather soldiers," muster has been expanded to include gathering up just about anything — you can muster up some dinner, some friends, or even some ketchup, pickles, and mustard. Remember that muster used to involve getting reluctant soldiers out of bed and into the field of battle — so it involves overcoming a certain inertia. When you muster up the courage to face something, it's clear that this is pretty scary for you.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing muster

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:

Repeated Houthi strikes in Yemen itself have targeted areas that would serve as muster points or command centers for any Saudi-led coalition attack on the ground, The Wall Street Journal has reported.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

But “Club Kid” is so assured and heartwarming that you can’t muster the energy to object.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

Twenty-one high-flying contestants are vying to win £100,000 for their charity of choice with all the charm, persuasion and manipulation they can muster.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

But the bloc has failed to muster the momentum that swept it to power four years ago.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

“Excuse you, but we are thinking warriors,” said Aru, smoothing her mangled pajamas with as much dignity as she could muster.

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

There’s maintenance and repair work to be done on his boat — named Waymaker, to honor the Lord — before Blanchard musters his two-man crew and sets out from Bayou Little Caillou.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2026

"Even a cinematic maestro occasionally musters up a misfire," the Razzies said, in a press release announcing Coppola's win.

From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2025

And as is also his way, he musters up one big swing that cracks harder than all the rest.

From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2024

Despite the years of controversies, he enjoys immense popularity and musters thousands of supporters at party rallies.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 5, 2024

The Militia drills and musters Still diverted men and boys; And the quaint, unique processions, Called “Log Cabin,” ruled the hour.

From The Song of Lancaster, Kentucky to the statesmen, soldiers, and citizens of Garrard County. by Eugenia Dunlap Potts

Through five innings, they mustered only two baserunners against Tigers starter Keider Montero.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026

The model was so successful that it ushered in a whole offseason of win-or-bust moves as teams mustered the courage to take greater risks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

While Wall Street was broadly negative, the Dow still mustered a gain to push it to a third straight record close.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

Both Musk and OpenAI have mustered high-dollar legal armies who are prepared to wage potentially years of litigation, including this federal trial.

From Slate ● Apr. 30, 2026

I mustered a small smile because she sounded a lot like Gram.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

It’s a song about weariness, the difficulty of facing the day, wondering if life means anything and mustering just enough hope to carry on.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Camel number are kept in check by mustering, shooting and trapping at water points.

From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026

School is out for the year, but the summer holidays aren't exactly a break for 15-year-old Breanna Easton - that is when she's hard at work mustering cattle on the family's station.

From BBC ● Dec. 10, 2025

The challenge is mustering the collective wisdom to manage our shared resources before they’re grazed beyond recovery.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2025

And so despondently Merry now stood and watched the mustering of the army.

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien

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