coagulate

1 of 2

verb

co·​ag·​u·​late kō-ˈa-gyə-ˌlāt 

coagulated; coagulating

transitive verb

1

: to cause to become viscous or thickened into a coherent mass : curdle, clot

2

: to gather together or form into a mass or group

intransitive verb

: to become coagulated

coagulability

kō-ˌa-gyə-lə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

coagulable

kō-ˈa-gyə-lə-bəl 

adjective

coagulate

2 of 2

adjective

co·​ag·​u·​late kō-ˈa-gyə-lət  -ˌlāt 

archaic

: being clotted or congealed

Synonyms of coagulate

Verb

• gel
• freeze
• stiffen
• congeal
• gelatinize
• clot

Examples of coagulate in a Sentence

Verb

The eggs coagulate when heated.

The medicine helps coagulate blood.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The honey was too thick and caused the sauce to kind of coagulate. — Brittany Loggins, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Dec. 2025

Do not use warm or hot water since this can actually cause the blood to coagulate. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 20 Jan. 2026

A lot of the ambivalent parent discourse tends to coagulate around white cis-het mothers of a certain milieu. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026

The basketball gods have handed us an opportunity — a chance to stir up a rivalry that has been sitting cold and coagulating on the back burner for far too long. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin coagulatus, past participle of coagulare to curdle, from coagulum curdling agent, from cogere to drive together — more at cogent

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for coagulate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

coagulate

verb

co·​ag·​u·​late

kō-ˈag-yə-ˌlāt

coagulated; coagulating

: to become or cause to become thickened into a compact mass : clot

coagulation

kō-ˌag-yə-ˈlā-shən

noun

Etymology

Verb

from Latin coagulatus, past participle of coagulare "to curdle," derived from cogere "to drive together" — related to quail entry 2

Medical Definition

coagulate

1 of 2 verb

co·​ag·​u·​late kō-ˈag-yə-ˌlāt 

coagulated; coagulating

transitive verb

1

: to cause to become viscous or thickened into a coherent mass : clot

blood platelets that coagulate blood

—Sonni Efron

rennin coagulates milk

2

: to subject to coagulation

high-frequency radio waves used to cut and coagulate tissue

—Alan Goldstein

intransitive verb

: to become coagulated : undergo coagulation

coagulability

kō-ˌag-yə-lə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

coagulable

-ˈag-yə-lə-bəl 

adjective

coagulate

2 of 2 noun

co·​ag·​u·​late -lət  -ˌlāt 

: coagulum