assemble
1 Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
plural
assemblésverb
-
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
noun
Usage
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.
Related Words
See gather. See manufacture.
Etymology
Origin of assemble1
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” ( simultaneous ) + -āre, infinitive verb suffix
Origin of assemblé2
First recorded in 1820–30; from French, past participle of assembler; assemble
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.
These microscopic machines could also assemble ultra-precise data storage systems and computing devices at the nanometer scale.
From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026
“They Will Kill You” feels like helping my two-year-old niece put together a fairly simple, 12-piece puzzle, and watching her exclaim with delight before asking if we can assemble it again.
From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026
When you assemble the dessert into bowls and start dappling each island with caramel and toasted sliced almonds, your friends will begin to hover.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
At the same time, assemble a support team among your family, friends and neighbors.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026
Andre and Camille are carrying box after box up two flights of stairs to our unit—there is an elevator, but it’s broken—while Dad and Lisa-Marie Anne struggle to assemble the kitchen table we splurged on.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
