to come or bring together; collect or congregate
to fit or join together (the parts of something, such as a machine)
to assemble the parts of a kit
to run (a computer program) that converts a set of symbolic data, usually in the form of specific single-step instructions, into machine language
What does assemble mean? Assemble means to bring together in one place, as in I assembled all of the ingredients for a chocolate cake on the table. Assemble can also mean to put or fit things together, as in Ikea is known for selling furniture that you have to assemble. And assemble can mean to come together or meet up, as in The school staff assembled for a meeting. When used generally, assemble can be used as a synonym for words such as gather, collect, and amass. When used specifically, assemble often means gathering things to arrange them in a proper order or placement, as when you assemble all the parts to build a computer. Alternatively, assemble can mean to put things or parts together. This meaning is often used when referring to building or making something, as in Shontel will need to assemble several bookshelves using only a box of wooden planks. In this sense, assemble is often used to refer to fitting manufactured parts together to make a final product or device. For example, a person would assemble a Lego brick set by snapping the parts together. Both assembly and assemblage are used to refer to something that has been assembled, as in The president spoke to an assembly of world leaders. Example: She assembled a team of scientists so they could all work together on the secret project.
See gather. See manufacture.
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Old French assembler, from Vulgar Latin assimulāre (unrecorded) “to bring together,” from Latin as- as- + simul “together” ( cf. simultaneous) + -āre, infinitive verb suffix
First recorded in 1820–30; from French, past participle of assembler; see assemble
To assemble means to bring together, as in people or parts. The volunteers assembled to assemble the bikes for the needy kids. The U.S. Constitution guarantees in something in the Bill of Rights called "the right of assembly." This means that people are allowed to come together for any purpose they chose. In countries without this right, groups who assemble can be disbanded with the idea that they may be assembling a revolution.
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AI tools helped align those images and assemble them into a unified 3D map.
From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026
"In Switzerland, we can find engineers to design, work and assemble the machines, but we lack the expertise to test and calibrate them," Bonvin told AFP.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
While ill, they have to beg doctors to believe them and somehow assemble their own care team to try to help them live with a disease that has so far outfoxed the best minds worldwide.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
Streamers are now faced with having to assemble the broadest range of content on their platforms to keep subscribers onboard for longer.
From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026
Daniel the computer geek showed me how to do it, where to buy the cheapest parts, how to assemble them, how to repair them.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
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.
