congregate

verb

con·​gre·​gate ˈkäŋ-gri-ˌgāt 

congregated; congregating

transitive verb

: to collect into a group or crowd : assemble

The king congregated his knights.

intransitive verb

: to come together into a group, crowd, or assembly

Students congregated in the auditorium.

congregator

ˈkäŋ-gri-ˌgā-tər 

noun

Synonyms of congregate

• gather
• collect
• assemble
• amass
• accumulate

Choose the Right Synonym for congregate

gather, collect, assemble, congregate mean to come or bring together into a group, mass, or unit.

gather is the most general term for bringing or coming together from a spread-out or scattered state.

a crowd quickly gathered

collect often implies careful selection or orderly arrangement.

collected books on gardening

assemble implies an ordered union or organization of persons or things often for a definite purpose.

experts assembled for a conference

congregate implies a spontaneous flocking together into a crowd or huddle.

congregating under a shelter

Examples of congregate in a Sentence

It's a place where the homeless congregate.

Skiers congregated around the lodge's fireplace.

Recent Examples on the Web

CoCo Rum, the pool bar, is where most guests congregate, either on the XL green and teal striped daybeds or on one of the high-back armchairs that line the bar behind. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026

The Scotland fans had congregated in the old town square, so when the area’s bars ran out of alcohol, the riot police arrived expecting trouble. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 3 June 2026

The audience gives me belief that people still want to congregate in a dark space in the company of strangers to share an experience of a film made by storytellers. —ABC News, 3 June 2026

These gatherings are not organized the way teenagers congregated a generation ago. —Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin congregatus, past participle of congregare, from com- + greg-, grex flock

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for congregate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

congregate

verb

con·​gre·​gate

ˈkäŋ-gri-ˌgāt

congregated; congregating

: to come together into a group or crowd

congregator

-ˌgāt-ər

noun

Etymology

Middle English congregaten "to collect or assemble together," derived from Latin congregare "to assemble, gather," from con-, com- "with, together" and gregare "to gather into a flock or herd," from greg-, grex "flock, herd" — related to aggregate, gregarious, segregate