coalesce
Americanverb (used without object)
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to grow together or into one body.
The two lakes coalesced into one.
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to unite so as to form one mass, community, etc..
The various groups coalesced into a crowd.
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to blend or come together.
Their ideas coalesced into one theory.
verb (used with object)
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
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coalescesimple
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coalescessimple
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have coalescedperfect
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has coalescedperfect
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am coalescingprogressive
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are coalescingprogressive
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is coalescingprogressive
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have been coalescingperfect progressive
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has been coalescingperfect progressive
Past
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coalescedsimple
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had coalescedperfect
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was coalescingprogressive
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were coalescingprogressive
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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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This Week in Words: December 9 - 15, 2017
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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.
Steinhauser said he expected Paxton’s campaign to “recalibrate a little bit on focus and messaging for the general election” and coalesce Republican voters.
From Salon • Jun. 25, 2026
Still, not long ago, it looked like the team might never coalesce the way everyone envisioned.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
I fear these factors will coalesce to make an eventual market downturn even more painful than it would be otherwise.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Anutin was also able to coalesce conservative support around his party, as opposed to having their voters split among several parties in 2023.
From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026
Shifting shadows started at last to coalesce, and after a while my eyes became accustomed to the gloom, and I could see.
From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
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.
