: a number of similar things that occur together: such as
a
: two or more consecutive consonants or vowels in a segment of speech
b
: a group of buildings and especially houses built close together on a sizable tract in order to preserve open spaces larger than the individual yard for common recreation
c
: an aggregation of stars or galaxies that appear close together in the sky and are gravitationally associated
the Perseus cluster of galaxies
d
: a larger than expected number of cases of disease (such as leukemia) occurring in a particular locality, group of people, or period of time
e
: a number of computers networked together in order to function as a single computing system
Consisting of groups of inexpensive machines cobbled together, clusters in many ways have supplanted traditional supercomputers.—
Elizabeth K. Wilson
Elizabeth K. Wilson
clustered; clustering
ˈklə-st(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to collect into a cluster
cluster the tents together
2
: to furnish with clusters
The bridge was clustered with men and officers …—Herman Wouk
Herman Wouk
: to grow, assemble, or occur in a cluster
they clustered around the fire
Examples of cluster in a Sentence
Noun
a cluster of cottages along the shore
A small cluster of people had gathered at the scene of the accident.
Verb
The children clustered around the storyteller.
the mice clustered together into a small burrow
Recent Examples on the Web
Leala King, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2025
Further north, teams also excavated a cluster of late Neolithic pits dating between 2867 and 2504 BCE.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 21 Dec. 2025
Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025
The houses were clustered in the center of the village along a dirt street and surrounded by farmland.
—Bobbi Sutherland, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cluster
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Noun
Sometimes that means reimagining the classic tree topper by swapping a traditional star for a sculptural cluster of branches.
—Leala King, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2025
Further north, teams also excavated a cluster of late Neolithic pits dating between 2867 and 2504 BCE.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 21 Dec. 2025
Verb
South Coast Some of the newest and nicest resorts in Barbados are clustered on the island’s South Coast, where turquoise waters and white sands meet a flush of cool restaurants and beach clubs.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025
The houses were clustered in the center of the village along a dirt street and surrounded by farmland.
—Bobbi Sutherland, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cluster
Cite this Entry
“Cluster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cluster. Accessed 23 Dec. 2025.
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Medical Definition
cluster
noun
clus·ter
ˈkləs-tər
: a larger than expected number of cases of disease (as leukemia) occurring in a particular locality, group of people, or period of time
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