coagulate

American  

[koh-ag-yuh-layt, koh-ag-yuh-lit, -layt] / koʊˈæg jəˌleɪt, koʊˈæg jə lɪt, -ˌleɪt /

verb (used with or without object)

• coagulates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• coagulated,
  past participle,  past
• coagulating
  present participle

1. to change from a fluid into a thickened mass; curdle; congeal.

   Let the pudding stand two hours until it coagulates.

   Synonyms:

   thicken, solidify, set, clot

2. Biology. (of blood) to form a clot.

3. Physical Chemistry. (of colloidal particles) to flocculate or cause to flocculate by adding an electrolyte to an electrostatic colloid.

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adjective

1. Obsolete. coagulated.

coagulate British  

/ kəʊˈæɡjʊlətɪv /

verb

1. to cause (a fluid, such as blood) to change into a soft semisolid mass or (of such a fluid) to change into such a mass; clot; curdle

2. chem to separate or cause to separate into distinct constituent phases

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noun

1. the solid or semisolid substance produced by coagulation

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anticoagulation
  noun
• coagulability
  noun
• coagulation
  noun
• noncoagulation
  noun
• recoagulation
  noun
• recoagulate
  verb
• anticoagulating
  adjective
• coagulable
  adjective
• coagulative
  adjective
• coagulatory
  adjective
• noncoagulating
  adjective
• noncoagulative
  adjective
• uncoagulated
  adjective
• uncoagulating
  adjective
• uncoagulative
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• coagulating
  present
• coagulated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• coagulate
  simple
• coagulates
  simple
• have coagulated
  perfect
• has coagulated
  perfect
• am coagulating
  progressive
• are coagulating
  progressive
• is coagulating
  progressive
• have been coagulating
  perfect progressive
• has been coagulating
  perfect progressive

Past

• coagulated
  simple
• had coagulated
  perfect
• was coagulating
  progressive
• were coagulating
  progressive
• had been coagulating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will coagulate
  simple
• will have coagulated
  perfect
• will be coagulating
  progressive
• will have been coagulating
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of coagulate

1350–1400 for earlier past participle senses “solidified, clotted,” 1605–15 coagulate for def. 1; Middle English < Latin coāgulāt ( us ) (past participle of coāgulāre ), equivalent to coāgul ( um ) coagulum + -ātus -ate ¹

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Explanation

When liquid starts to thicken and become solid, it coagulates. When you get a cut, the blood flowing from the wound will coagulate: it will start to clot and form a solid scab so you will stop bleeding. Many liquids have the potential to coagulate. If the cream you just poured into your coffee is spoiled, you'll see the cream coagulate as it curdles into little floating chunks. If someone has a heart condition that may result in a heart attack, he or she might take medication that keeps the blood in the arteries from coagulating, or dangerously thickening.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coagulate coagulates coagulated coagulating

But none has enough gravity to coagulate into a larger planet.

From Salon ● May 10, 2023

But anger, irritation and a fear of imminent defeat can coagulate in ways individuals often can't control.

From BBC ● May 5, 2023

In the early 2000s, the Washington Aqueduct came under fire again for releasing high amounts of alum, a substance used to coagulate sediments to filter them from the water, into the Potomac River.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 15, 2022

Plasma infusion is an approved use by the FDA in trauma settings or in patients whose blood doesn’t coagulate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2019

The bump on my forehead was swollen and I stopped the bleeding by lying still and letting it coagulate, then picked away the dried blood except over the cut.

From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway

Even post-distillation, there’s oil left in the spirit, but when they chill it, the fat coagulates and is then skimmed off.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 22, 2021

Gelatin sets on cooling because the hot aqueous mixture of gelatin coagulates as it cools, yielding an extremely viscous body known as a gel.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Unfortunately, as Ms Yazji’s plot thickens, it coagulates.

From Economist ● Dec. 4, 2017

Biacuplasty coagulates the nerves in the discs, he says, and there’s a chance it may even help heal fissures or cracks in degenerated discs.

From US News ● Sep. 20, 2016

Criminologists had come to understand that blood coagulates at the lowest point of a body after death, producing dark splotches on the skin.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

One TikTok user uploaded a video of the sauce she had ordered, which arrived looking pale and coagulated with dark blue or green specks, according to the footage.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2022

In the United States, the game show “Fear Factor” challenged contestants to eat foods with ingredients like fish eyes, cow bile and coagulated blood paste.

From New York Times ● Jun. 29, 2021

At Klowden Mann Gallery, the Chicago-based artist’s solo L.A. debut has trees aflame in dark and coagulated landscapes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2019

Today, the term has coagulated around the idea of a Type A self-motivated woman who derives strength from her conception of her gender.

From Slate ● Aug. 31, 2018

The air in the evening lamplight is coagulated, like a custard thickening; heavier sediments of light collect in the corners of the living room.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

He’ll certainly do the same thing about the blood coagulating at the bottom of his body.

From Slate ● Jul. 18, 2025

The Ohio Republican dipped an unjacketed shoulder through the coagulating throng and attempted to push through.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 6, 2023

Early tests involved coagulating macadamia, cashew, oat and almond milks.

From New York Times ● Apr. 16, 2021

And yet power, seeping out of the American system, seemed to be coagulating nowhere. 

From Salon ● Mar. 4, 2014

The plates with pieces of steak ends and coagulating grease were on the floor, on top of the bookcases, under the bed.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck

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