flock

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈfläk 

1

: a group of animals (such as birds or sheep) assembled or herded together

2

: a group under the guidance of a leader

especially : a church congregation

3

: a large number

a flock of tourists

flock

2 of 4

verb (1)

flocked; flocking; flocks

intransitive verb

: to gather or move in a flock

they flocked to the beach

flock

3 of 4

noun (2)

1

: a tuft of wool or cotton fiber

2

: woolen or cotton refuse used for stuffing furniture and mattresses

3

: very short or pulverized fiber used especially to form a velvety pattern on cloth or paper or a protective covering on metal

4

: floc

flock

4 of 4

verb (2)

flocked; flocking; flocks

transitive verb

1

: to fill with flock

2

: to decorate with flock

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• throng
• swarm
• crowd
• horde

Verb (1)

• crowd
• invade
• swarm
• mob
• throng

Examples of flock in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a flock of obstreperous reporters at the press conference

a flock of sheep crossing the road

Verb (1)

vacationers flocked to the towns along the shore in order to escape the August heat

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The species lived in immense flocks year round, roaming nomadically to areas with abundant food resources -- primarily acorns, beech nuts and chestnuts. —arkansasonline.com, 5 July 2025

The Santa Barbara division of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) had a surprise sheep herding on their hands when a flock got free of their enclosures. —Moná Thomas, People.com, 2 July 2025

Verb

What Is Happening in Cape Coral? Cape Coral's housing market exploded during the pandemic, when thousands of out-of-state newcomers flocked to the relatively affordable Florida paradise, snatching up for-sale homes and driving up prices. —Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025

Today, visitors flock here in droves every autumn to pick apples and pumpkins, shop for antiques, and take in those small-town fall vibes. —Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English flocc crowd, band; akin to Old Norse flokkr crowd, band

Noun (2)

Middle English flok, from Anglo-French, from Latin floccus

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing flock

• birds of a feather flock together

Rhymes for flock

• balk
• baulk
• bloc
• bock
• broch
• brock
• calk
• caulk
• chalk
• chock
• clock
• cock

Kids Definition

flock

1 of 2 noun

ˈfläk 

1

: a group of animals (as birds or sheep) assembled or herded together

2

: a group someone keeps watch over

3

: a large number

a flock of tourists

flock

2 of 2 verb

: to gather or move in a crowd

they flocked to the beach