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

Verb

• clot
• congeal
• gel
• gelate
• gelatinize
• jell
• jelly
• set

Examples of coagulate in a Sentence

Verb

The eggs coagulate when heated.

The medicine helps coagulate blood.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Within hours the pool would coagulate into electric-blue slush, like a gas station Slurpee. —Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 May 2025

That familiar lump of expectation coagulated in my stomach and throat. —Thomas Weddle, Outdoor Life, 17 Apr. 2025

But there was another possible explanation the company didn’t discuss: Blood could coagulate inside the filter if the dialysis machine’s flow rate was set too low. —John Carreyrou, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025

Hope needs to find hope and coagulate into a giant hope. —Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 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

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

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