coalesce
Americanverb (used without object)
-
coalesces,
present (3rd person singular)
-
coalesced,
past participle, past
-
coalescing
present participle
-
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)
-
coalesces,
present (3rd person singular)
-
coalesced,
past participle, past
-
coalescing
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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coalescencenoun
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noncoalescencenoun
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coalescentadjective
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noncoalescentadjective
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noncoalescingadjective
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uncoalescentadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
coalescesimple
-
coalescessimple
-
have coalescedperfect
-
has coalescedperfect
-
am coalescingprogressive
-
are coalescingprogressive
-
is coalescingprogressive
-
have been coalescingperfect progressive
-
has been coalescingperfect progressive
Past
-
coalescedsimple
-
had coalescedperfect
-
was coalescingprogressive
-
were coalescingprogressive
-
had been coalescingperfect progressive
Future
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
Explanation
Waiting for a plan to come together? You're waiting for it to coalesce. Coalesce is when different elements of something join together and become one. In coalesce, you see co-, which should tell you the word means "together." The other half of the word comes from alescere, a Latin verb meaning "to grow up." So if you are trying to start up a photography club at school, once you have an advisor, some interested students, and support from the administration, things will hopefully coalesce, or come together, to make it happen.
Vocabulary lists containing coalesce
"A Quilt of a Country," Vocabulary from the argument
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Flowers for Algernon
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myPerspectives 9.1
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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:
Traditionally, the summit is held to bring together the top financial ministers and find a way for them to coalesce around joint challenges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
What is true today, as potential bidders for the Dodgers lurk and coalesce amid L.A.’s turn at uncertainty, is that the Padres have an energetic and effervescent couple as their new principal owners.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
NWR’s high concepts and their abrasive execution don’t always coalesce.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
What the polls generally failed to foresee—and arguably shouldn’t have been expected to, given the fluctuating field—was that just enough voters would ultimately coalesce behind Crowley to put him over the top.
From Slate ● Aug. 12, 2026
Particles of ash swirled loosely in their midst, but refused to coalesce.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
A cohort of skilled people coalesces, and the Junglekeepers nonprofit is born, taking donations for land acquisition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026
But IndieWire's Caleb Hammond said: "While this version contains its fair share of standout sequences along with Oscar-ready performances, the film never fully coalesces into an effective, singular, emotional narrative."
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2024
But it coalesces around especially trendy aesthetics and a staunch desire to live responsibly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2024
All of it coalesces the sad moral of the story: these people are small.
From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2023
The group coalesces around the front-runners as Frederick and his pursuers get to their feet, all of them pasted with snow.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Opposition has also coalesced around religious appeals from a theologically diverse group of residents, leaders and politicians who see data center development as an affront to their most sacred values.
From Salon ● Aug. 3, 2026
With roots dating to 19th century European theorists like Max Weber and Émile Durkheim, sociology coalesced professionally in America during the Progressive Era.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
Cabinet reshuffles require parliamentary approval -- although lawmakers have largely coalesced around Zelensky since Russia's invasion, and do not typically block his agenda.
From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026
Democratic voters and interest groups quickly coalesced behind Becerra, who was seen as a steady candidate with a long resume in California politics and a record of fighting the Trump administration.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
Nothing since Joe Louis had so coalesced the masses of Negroes.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
A battle between gold bugs and bullion bears appeared to be coalescing around the $4,000 an ounce mark on Tuesday, as the precious metal is on track to register its worst quarter in 13 years.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
But as I held the shower over my head, suddenly the stream of water turned dark, as long strands of brown hair began coalescing around the plug hole in front of my eyes.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026
“There were tiny lakes that started collapsing, coalescing and becoming one big, larger lake,” said Haritashya.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026
Opinion polls bear this out, with more voters saying they are undecided or coalescing behind any of the dozen prominent candidates who have announced bids.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026
The mare had taken him past the Corderos’ and into the graveyard, and he had seen the mists rising and pooling, coalescing into vaguely human shapes.
From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby
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.
