collocation
noun
col·lo·ca·tion
ˌkä-lə-ˈkā-shən 
: the act or result of placing or arranging together
the collocation of atoms
specifically
: a noticeable arrangement or conjoining of linguistic elements (such as words)
"To save time" and "make the bed" are common collocations.
Examples of collocation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The collocation of them is not unusual.
—
New York Times, 30 July 2021
The risk of these writers’ style, with their short chapters and darting insights, is randomness, and sometimes this book, whatever its thematic claims, seems to consist of what has come under the author’s eye, an arbitrary collocation.
—Charles Finch, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2022
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
New York Times, 30 July 2021
The risk of these writers’ style, with their short chapters and darting insights, is randomness, and sometimes this book, whatever its thematic claims, seems to consist of what has come under the author’s eye, an arbitrary collocation.
—Charles Finch, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Collocation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collocation. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
collocation
noun
col·lo·ca·tion
ˌkäl-ə-ˈkā-shən
: the act or result of placing together
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share