coalesce
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to grow together or into one body.
The two lakes coalesced into one.
-
to unite so as to form one mass, community, etc..
The various groups coalesced into a crowd.
-
to blend or come together.
Their ideas coalesced into one theory.
verb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
- coalescence noun
- coalescent adjective
- noncoalescence noun
- noncoalescent adjective
- noncoalescing adjective
- uncoalescent adjective
Etymology
Origin of coalesce
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin coalēscere, equivalent to co- co- + al- (stem of alere “to nourish, make grow”) + -escere -esce
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.
Voters could coalesce around one or two of those left.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
As entertainment media become dominant, they naturally coalesce around formats best suited for the technology and business model.
From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026
Even if Khamenei was somehow removed, the regime would likely coalesce quickly around a new leader, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026
He said the lack of organised opposition within Iran means that people do not have anyone to coalesce around who presents an alternative to the regime as it stands.
From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026
Eventually, the gas will be so hot that when the hydrogen atoms collide they no longer bounce off each other, but instead coalesce to form helium.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
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.
