gathering

American  

[gath-er-ing] / ˈgæð ər ɪŋ /

noun

1. an assembly or meeting.

   Synonyms:

   assemblage

2. an assemblage of people; group or crowd.

   Synonyms:

   throng, company, concourse, congregation

3. a collection, assemblage, or compilation of anything.

4. the act of a person or thing that gathers.

5. something that is gathered together.

6. a gather or a series of gathers in cloth.

7. an inflamed and suppurating swelling.

   Synonyms:

   carbuncle, abscess, boil

8. (in a flue, duct, or the like) a tapered section forming a transition between two sections, one of which has a greater area than the other.

9. Bookbinding. a section in a book, usually a sheet cut into several leaves.

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gathering British  

/ ˈɡæðərɪŋ /

noun

1. a group of people, things, etc, that are gathered together; assembly

2. sewing a gather or series of gathers in material

3. 1. the formation of pus in a boil

   2. the pus so formed

4. printing an informal name for section

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Etymology

Origin of gathering

First recorded before 900; Middle English gaderinge, Old English gaderunge; equivalent to gather + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

The event marked the first gathering of gubernatorial hopefuls since USC pulled the plug on its debate last week.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

The annual confab is one of the largest gatherings of cybersecurity professionals, and the timing of this year’s gathering proved particularly apt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

The regulator – which had until now been monitoring the situation – says it will begin enforcing the restrictions and gathering evidence.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

A pathbreaking European banking merger is meanwhile gathering steam.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

I’m gathering up the magazine cuttings when I find two envelopes underneath the paper pieces.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

Related Words

• association
• caucus
• collection
• conclave
• conference
• congregation
• convention
• crowd
• function
• group
• mass
• meeting
• party
• throng