consolidate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to bring together (separate parts) into a single or unified whole; unite; combine.
They consolidated their three companies.
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to discard the unused or unwanted items of and organize the remaining.
She consolidated her home library.
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to make solid or firm; solidify; strengthen.
to consolidate gains.
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Military. to strengthen by rearranging the position of ground combat troops after a successful attack.
verb (used without object)
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to unite or combine.
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to become solid or firm.
adjective
verb
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to form or cause to form into a solid mass or whole; unite or be united
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to make or become stronger or more stable
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military to strengthen or improve one's control over (a situation, force, newly captured area, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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consolidatesimple
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consolidatessimple
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have consolidatedperfect
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has consolidatedperfect
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am consolidatingprogressive
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are consolidatingprogressive
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is consolidatingprogressive
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have been consolidatingperfect progressive
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has been consolidatingperfect progressive
Past
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consolidatedsimple
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had consolidatedperfect
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was consolidatingprogressive
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were consolidatingprogressive
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had been consolidatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of consolidate
First recorded in 1505–15; from Latin consolidātus “made solid,” past participle of consolidāre “to make solid,” equivalent to con- + solid + -ate 1
Explanation
Consolidate means to bring together. If you consolidate student loans, you put them all together into one big loan. If you consolidate your childhood toys, you grab them all up and put them in one place. Preferably a toy box. Consolidate comes from the Latin roots com- ("together") and solidare ("to make solid"). So, consolidate is to bring things together to make something solid, stronger, or easier to handle. A general might consolidate his troops, a librarian might consolidate his grammar books, and someone with credit-card debt might consolidate the debt from different cards onto one.
Vocabulary lists containing consolidate
Hamilton
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The Hunger Games
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100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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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:
That gave him clear air and enabled the Dutchman to consolidate his race position in third place behind the McLarens, laying the foundations for Red Bull's late strategy call.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
It would not be the only time Pogacar would aid Del Toro, 22, sacrificing his own potential victory on Saturday's brutal 'queen' stage to Alpe d'Huez to consolidate Del Toro's place on the podium.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Discovery are “temporarily enjoined and restrained from closing or consummating the transaction or taking any steps, directly or indirectly, to integrate or consolidate their operations pursuant to the transaction.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
He wrote in the Times he wanted "an even closer relationship with countries across Europe" to "consolidate the progress made on the existing UK-EU negotiations".
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
She asks me to help her consolidate the Kathie Lee knit dresses so the Kathie Lee silky ones can take their place at the “image,” the high-traffic corner area.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
When we are asleep, our brain consolidates the memories of the day, processes emotions, and solves problems that defied it in the waking hours.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
The transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of the year, consolidates full ownership of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC and the Scotiabank Arena under Rogers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
On the other, Ellison consolidates content production across multiple major networks.
From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2026
The news comes as the media and entertainment universe consolidates, cutting both costs and staff amid a shift away from movie theaters and traditional television.
From MarketWatch ● May 11, 2026
In astronomy this is true; but in all the other fields of scientific enquiry the word consolidates a conceptual revolution.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Cleveland-Cliffs reported a narrowed first-quarter loss of $134 million as consolidated revenue rose to $5.23 billion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
According to the report, a mobile food vendor consolidated three vending locations into one, and a salon owner combined two locations to help reduce rent and costs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Separately, thousands of lawsuits are also consolidated in federal court, where school districts, attorneys general, and individuals make similar claims about the products’ harm to young people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
"There are many unstable and uncertain external factors, and the domestic contradiction of strong supply and weak demand is prominent. The foundation for the economy to improve still needs to be consolidated," it added.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
Taking up agriculture, the Finger Lakes people, by now consolidated into five main groups, lined the region’s hills with farms.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
The third slot remains up for grabs, with neither Josh Tongue nor Saqib Mahmood consolidating their place in the side.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
These actions included things like changing the title on bank accounts and other property, redirecting household bills, canceling credit cards, consolidating retirement accounts, making Roth conversions and giving away money.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
After a period when the market was filled with dozens of delivery apps—fueled by the boom in home orders during the Covid-19 pandemic—the market is swiftly consolidating around a few big companies.
From Barron's ● May 26, 2026
“In the areas that it still controls. Hamas is consolidating its grip on the population.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 2026
The growing Christian Church was consolidating its power and attempting to eradicate pagan influence and culture.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
