coalesce

verb

co·​a·​lesce ˌkō-ə-ˈles How to pronounce coalesce (audio)
coalesced; coalescing

intransitive verb

1
: to grow together
The edges of the wound coalesced.
2
a
: to unite into a whole : fuse
separate townships have coalesced into a single, sprawling colonyDonald Gould
b
: to unite for a common end : join forces
people with different points of view coalesce into opposing factionsI. L. Horowitz
3
: to arise from the combination of distinct elements
an organized and a popular resistance immediately coalescedC. C. Menges

transitive verb

: to cause to unite
sometimes a book coalesces a public into a mass marketWalter Meade
coalescence noun
coalescent adjective

Did you know?

The meaning of many English words equals the sum of their parts, and coalesce is a fitting example. The word unites the prefix co- (“together”) and the Latin verb alescere, meaning “to grow.” Coalesce is one of a number of English verbs (along with mix, commingle, merge, and amalgamate) that refer to the act of combining parts into a whole. In particular, coalesce usually implies the merging of similar parts to form a cohesive unit, such as a political ideology, a fan-following, or (perish the thought) a Portuguese man-of-war, the body of which includes three types of zooids.

Choose the Right Synonym for coalesce

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 coalesce in a Sentence

a group of young reformers who gradually coalesced into a political movement The ice masses coalesced into a glacier over time.
Recent Examples on the Web Her band coalesced into a strong, supportive unit, with Stoessel’s steel its signature feature. Steve Hochman, SPIN, 1 Mar. 2024 The League, originally a loose association of smaller commercial interests, coalesced to form what became the predominant global trading interest, not only promoting trade, but supplying defense and protection. Eli Amdur, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 On Tuesday morning, after an overnight session, a bipartisan group of senators coalesced around the package, propelling it to passage after months of disagreement about how to move forward. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2024 By nipping in the bud what could have been a bruising primary fight, Republicans can now coalesce behind Mr. Sheehy and focus on ousting Mr. Tester heading into the fall. Kellen Browning, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024 For its part, the AIIB has repeatedly stated that the Mandalika circuit, where many of the ongoing grievances have coalesced, is a separate project not directly funded by the bank. TIME, 5 Feb. 2024 Separatist movements in the Middle Volga coalesced in 2018 via the Free Idel–Ural Movement, whose goal is sovereignty for ethnic minorities in Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Chuvashia, Udmurtia, Mari El, and Mordovia. Elizabeth Barber, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 Republican voters coalesced behind Cox, giving the businessman a strong enough finish in the primary to edge Democrat and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to finish second and face off against Newsom in the November election. Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2024 Cross-Industry Leaders Unite Behind Saudi's Visionary Agenda The FII Miami Summit delivered a rare blend of perspectives from leaders across the public and private sectors, coalescing around the kingdom’s strategic roadmap for diversifying its economy and deploying capital in innovative ways. Mark Minevich, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coalesce.' 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

Latin coalescere, from co- + alescere to grow — more at old

First Known Use

circa 1541, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coalesce was circa 1541

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Dictionary Entries Near coalesce

Cite this Entry

“Coalesce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coalesce. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

coalesce

verb
co·​alesce
ˌkō-ə-ˈles
coalesced; coalescing
1
: to grow together
the ends of the broken bones coalesced
2
: to unite into a whole : fuse
coalescence
-ˈles-ᵊn(t)s
noun

Medical Definition

coalesce

intransitive verb
co·​alesce ˌkō-ə-ˈles How to pronounce coalesce (audio)
coalesced; coalescing
: to grow together
coalescence noun

More from Merriam-Webster on coalesce

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