congregate

American  

[kong-gri-geyt, kong-gri-git, -geyt] / ˈkɒŋ grɪˌgeɪt, ˈkɒŋ grɪ gɪt, -ˌgeɪt /

verb (used without object)

congregated, congregating

1. to come together; assemble, especially in large numbers.

   People waiting for rooms congregated in the hotel lobby.

   Synonyms:

   cluster, throng, collect, gather

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verb (used with object)

congregated, congregating

1. to bring together in a crowd, body, or mass; assemble; collect.

adjective

1. congregated; assembled.

2. formed by collecting; collective.

congregate British  

verb

1. to collect together in a body or crowd; assemble

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adjective

1. collected together; assembled

2. relating to collecting; collective

Other Word Forms

• congregative adjective
• congregativeness noun
• congregator noun
• decongregate verb
• noncongregative adjective
• uncongregated adjective
• uncongregative adjective

Etymology

Origin of congregate

1350–1400; Middle English (adj.) < Latin congregātus (past participle of congregāre to flock together), equivalent to con- con- + greg- (stem of grex ) flock + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

Congregate is a verb that means to come together, to assemble, or to gather. At school dances, you may congregate with your friends, because you get nervous in front of kids you don't know very well. Congregate comes from Latin root words com, meaning "together" and gregare, meaning "to gather in a flock." Congregation, or a gathering or assembly, comes from the same roots, as does gregarious, an adjective describing someone who likes to gather with others to socialize. If you remember the key word is flock — what ministers often call their congregations — you should have no trouble remembering congregate means to flock together.

Example Sentences

"The real experience comes when we can influence a community to congregate in a strange, dark space," Spielberg said.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

Brown’s installation, “Fountain: Sources of Light,” invites guests to congregate.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

Mullen said she is "constantly worried", fearing that rats will get into her home, and said she dreads every time she has to take the bins out as rats congregate nearby.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

When the floods spill over Botswana’s Okavango Delta every year, fat antelopes congregate in lush grazing grounds and big predators treat the islands like snack bars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 20, 2025

At night, more often than not, they would congregate in the dark beyond her window and laugh about her.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman

Related Words

• bunch up
• converge
• flock
• gather
• swarm
• throng