amalgamate

verb

amal·gam·ate ə-ˈmal-gə-ˌmāt

amalgamated; amalgamating

Synonyms of amalgamate next

transitive verb

: to unite in or as if in an amalgam

especially : to merge into a single body

They amalgamated the hospital with the university.

amalgamator

ə-ˈmal-gə-ˌmā-tər

noun

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Amalgamate Can Be Used Technically and Generally

The noun amalgam derives, by way of Middle French, from Medieval Latin amalgama. It was first used in the 15th century with the meaning "a mixture of mercury and another metal." (Today, you are likely to encounter this sense in the field of dentistry; amalgams can be used for filling holes in teeth.) Use of amalgam broadened over time to include any mixture of elements, and by the 18th century the word was also being applied figuratively, as in "an amalgam of citizens." The verb amalgamate has been in use since the latter half of the 1500s. It too can be used either technically, implying the creation of an alloy of mercury, or more generally for the formation of any compound or combined entity.

Choose the Right Synonym for amalgamate

mix, mingle, commingle, blend, merge, coalesce, amalgamate, fuse mean to combine into a more or less uniform whole.

mix may or may not imply loss of each element's identity.

mix the salad greens

mix a drink

mingle usually suggests that the elements are still somewhat distinguishable or separately active.

fear mingled with anticipation in my mind

commingle implies a closer or more thorough mingling.

a sense of duty commingled with a fierce pride drove her

blend implies that the elements as such disappear in the resulting mixture.

blended several teas to create a balanced flavor

merge suggests a combining in which one or more elements are lost in the whole.

in his mind reality and fantasy merged

coalesce implies an affinity in the merging elements and usually a resulting organic unity.

telling details that coalesce into a striking portrait

amalgamate implies the forming of a close union without complete loss of individual identities.

refugees who were readily amalgamated into the community

fuse stresses oneness and indissolubility of the resulting product.

a building in which modernism and classicism are fused

Examples of amalgamate in a Sentence

amalgamating different styles of music They amalgamated the hospital and the university.

Recent Examples on the Web Known then for crafting music that amalgamated early dubstep, soul samples and snippets of his own eerie vibrato, Blake quickly ascended as an underground sensation. —

Kristin Robinson, Billboard, 8 Sep. 2023 In an effort to break the trend, Dilfer is amalgamating various concepts from his staff and creating a functional and distraction-free environment. —

Evan Dudley, al, 6 Sep. 2023 This specific Best Brands for Social Impact list was created by amalgamating respondents’ ratings in four survey categories: Overall Brand Values and Trust, Social Stances, Sustainability, and Community Support. —

Rachel Rabkin Peachman, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2023 The company is building a generative A.I. platform to amalgamate health care information. —

Lucy Brewster, Fortune, 2 June 2023 Though plans are still in the works, Bobby says amalgamating the company’s headquarters with One Phillip Street, would enable the company to build a Grade A office skyscraper with a gross floor area of over 300,000 square feet, about 66% more than the current space at both buildings combined. —

Jonathan Burgos, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2023 Their beliefs amalgamated principles developed by Kundalini yoga progenitor Yogi Bhajan; the astrological concept of the Age of Aquarius; the teachings of Manly P. Hall, founder of the Philosophical Research Society in Los Feliz; the freemasons and others. —

Erin Osmon, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2023 Europe, over the last century, has amalgamated its power systems to the point where the European grid now exchange’s electricity, literally across the continent, north, south, east, west. —

IEEE Spectrum, 14 Oct. 2020 The president has also faced calls to split the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy in two, and to amalgamate some smaller departments. —

S'thembile Cele, Bloomberg.com, 9 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'amalgamate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin amalgamātus, past participle of amalgamāre "to combine (a metal) with mercury," verbal derivative of amalgama amalgam

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of amalgamate was in 1576

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