gather

American  

[gath-er] / ˈgæð ər /

verb (used with object)

• gathers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• gathered,
  past participle,  past
• gathering
  present participle

1. to bring together into one group, collection, or place.

   to gather firewood; to gather the troops.

   Synonyms:

   hoard, garner, amass, accumulate

   Antonyms:

   disperse, separate

2. to bring together or assemble from various places, sources, or people; collect gradually.

   The college is gathering a faculty from all over the country.

   Synonyms:

   hoard, garner, amass, accumulate

3. to serve as a center of attention for; attract.

   A good football game always gathers a crowd.

4. to pick or harvest (any crop or natural yield) from its place of growth or formation.

   to gather fruit; to gather flowers.

   Synonyms:

   garner, glean, reap, crop, pluck

5. to pick up piece by piece.

   Gather your toys from the floor.

6. to pick or scoop up.

   She gathered the crying child in her arms.

7. to collect (as taxes, dues, money owed, etc.).

8. to accumulate; increase.

   The storm gathers force.

   The car gathered speed.

9. to take by selection from among other things; sort out; cull.

10. to assemble or collect (one's energies or oneself ) as for an effort (often followed byup ).

    He gathered up his strength for the hard job.

11. to learn or conclude from observation; infer; deduce.

    I gather that he is the real leader.

    Synonyms:

    understand, assume

12. to wrap or draw around or close.

    He gathered his scarf around his neck.

13. to contract (the brow) into wrinkles.

14. to draw (cloth) up on a thread in fine folds or puckers by means of even stitches.

15. Bookbinding. to assemble (the printed sections of a book) in proper sequence for binding.

16. Nautical. to gain (way) from a dead stop or extremely slow speed.

17. Metalworking. to increase the sectional area of (stock) by any of various operations.

18. Glassmaking. to accumulate or collect (molten glass) at the end of a tube for blowing, shaping, etc.

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verb (used without object)

• gathers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• gathered,
  past participle,  past
• gathering
  present participle

1. to come together around a central point; assemble.

   Let's gather round the fire and sing.

   Antonyms:

   disperse, separate

2. to collect or accumulate.

   Clouds were gathering in the northeast.

   Synonyms:

   accrete

3. to grow, as by accretion; increase.

4. to become contracted into wrinkles, folds, creases, etc., as the brow or as cloth.

5. to come to a head, as a sore in suppurating.

noun

1. a drawing together; contraction.

2. Often gathers. a fold or pucker, as in gathered cloth.

3. an act or instance of gathering.

4. an amount or number gathered, as during a harvest.

5. Glassmaking. a mass of molten glass attached to the end of a punty.

idioms

1. be gathered to one's fathers, to die.

gather British  

/ ˈɡæðə /

verb

1. to assemble or cause to assemble

2. to collect or be collected gradually; muster

3. (tr) to learn from information given; conclude or assume

4. (tr) to pick or harvest (flowers, fruit, etc)

5. (tr; foll by to or into) to clasp or embrace

   the mother gathered the child into her arms

6. (tr) to bring close (to) or wrap (around)

   she gathered her shawl about her shoulders

7. to increase or cause to increase gradually, as in force, speed, intensity, etc

8. to contract (the brow) or (of the brow) to become contracted into wrinkles; knit

9. (tr) to assemble (sections of a book) in the correct sequence for binding

10. (tr) to collect by making a selection

11. (tr) to prepare or make ready

    to gather one's wits

12. to draw (material) into a series of small tucks or folds by passing a thread through it and then pulling it tight

13. (intr) (of a boil or other sore) to come to a head; form pus

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noun

1. 1. the act of gathering

   2. the amount gathered

2. a small fold in material, as made by a tightly pulled stitch; tuck

3. printing an informal name for section

gather More Idioms  

1. see rolling stone gathers no moss.

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Synonym Usage

Gather, assemble, collect, muster, marshal imply bringing or drawing together. Gather expresses the general idea usually with no implication of arrangement: to gather seashells. Assemble is used of objects or facts brought together preparatory to arranging them: to assemble data for a report. Collect implies purposeful accumulation to form an ordered whole: to collect evidence. Muster, primarily a military term, suggests thoroughness in the process of collection: to muster all one's resources. Marshal, another term primarily military, suggests rigorously ordered, purposeful arrangement: to marshal facts for effective presentation.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• gatherer
  noun
• regather
  verb
• pregather
  verb (used without object)
• gatherable
  adjective
• ungathered
  adjective
• well-gathered
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• gathering
  present
• gathered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• gather
  simple
• gathers
  simple
• have gathered
  perfect
• has gathered
  perfect
• am gathering
  progressive
• are gathering
  progressive
• is gathering
  progressive
• have been gathering
  perfect progressive
• has been gathering
  perfect progressive

Past

• gathered
  simple
• had gathered
  perfect
• was gathering
  progressive
• were gathering
  progressive
• had been gathering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will gather
  simple
• will have gathered
  perfect
• will be gathering
  progressive
• will have been gathering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of gather

First recorded before 900; Middle English gaderen, Old English gaderian, derivative of geador “together,” akin to gæd “fellowship”; cf. together, good

Explanation

Gather is a verb with many related meanings, most involving drawing together or assembling something. You may gather your socks into the laundry bag, or you may gather your thoughts by making a list. Gather often is used to describe bringing people together for some purpose, like the students who gather in the hallway awaiting an announcement. Gather can also refer to an increase or gain, like when you gather speed and go faster on your bike. Gather can describe coming to a conclusion or an understanding. After listening to your brother's comments and watching him pack up his video games, you may gather that he isn't going to be around for dinner.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gather gathers gathered gathering

The Valkyries established a 30-plus network of area bars for fans to gather to watch games and they helped a player with sleeping problems by offering everything from a different comforter to a sleep study.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

They include many places where young people typically gather, like the city's Palace of Culture.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Each summer, the heirs to one of America’s biggest liquor fortunes gather in the heart of bourbon country for a family picnic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

England will take time to gather some information before a decision on his involvement is made.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

The shop owners are upset and outraged as they gather and talk among themselves.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

It gathers meaning as people remake it, parody it and pass it on.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

The project gathers reports and location data from people who say they have experienced the sound.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026

She panics briefly, then gathers herself and finds her confidence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026

The exhibition gathers an abundance of archival materials, sketchbooks, architectural drawings, prototypes, models and maquettes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

While the ink dries he gathers up the rest of the things he will need, running through the list over and over in his head so he does not forget anything.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Fans gathered at the park in recent days to pay tribute to Parton, dropping off flowers, candles and balloons.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

On Aug. 13, cemetery officials along with members of the Inglewood city council gathered at Raker sisters’ burial site to commemorate the newly placed markers, the first for the eldest Raker sister.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Mourners gathered outside of the Royal Palace to lay flowers and remember him while his son, King Haakon VIII, officially succeeded him and met with his government.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

Since 1982, policymakers and prominent economists have gathered in this valley ringed by mountains in Grand Teton National Park -- known to most people more for its bison than for spirited debates on macroeconomics.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

The whole village was gathered on Main Street, which was two blocks long.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Elisa Valencia recalled that she had been gathering food scales, measuring cups and trays at the start of her shift when three cooks sprinted past her, shouting.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

Members of the public have been gathering to lay flowers at a memorial outside the Royal Palace in Oslo.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

The upcoming gathering, however, comes as US global leadership faces a test.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

“Diana” precedes an extraordinary gathering of elaborate furniture, once in Versailles; tapestries; and improbably opulent 18th-century French silver—plus a wealth of medieval ivories.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

Emily was stalled in the Gulf of Mexico, gathering strength, making up her mind which way to go.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

Related Words

• assemble
• choose
• cluster
• collect
• congregate
• convene
• converge
• crowd
• draw
• flock
• huddle
• meet
• pick
• round up
• show up