merge

verb

ˈmərj 

merged; merging

transitive verb

1

: to cause to combine, unite, or coalesce (see coalesce sense 2)

merged the two companies

2

: to blend gradually by stages that blur distinctions

individuality and uniqueness are merged and blurred

—Norman Kelman

3

archaic : to plunge or engulf in something : immerse

intransitive verb

1

: to become combined into one

The two banks merged.

2

: to blend or come together without abrupt change

merging traffic

mergence

ˈmər-jən(t)s 

noun

Synonyms

• combine
• mix
• integrate
• amalgamate
• blend
• incorporate

Choose the Right Synonym for merge

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 merge in a Sentence

To save the business, the owners decided to merge it with one of their competitors.

The two banks merged to form one large institution.

Many small companies have been forced to merge.

Three lanes of traffic all merge at this point.

Day slowly merged into night.

Along the coast the mountains gradually merge with the shore.

She merged into the crowd and disappeared.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ink merges into breast milk, tranquillity and space to think are filled with irritating barking, and Lawrence loses herself to the madness. —Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025

The district has already closed the school, merging it with Forest Oak Middle School, but Morath has said that many schools in the district are struggling. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2025

Union Pacific is hustling to file its application to merge with Norfolk Southern to government regulators well ahead of schedule. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025

TelevisaUnivision has been working to bolster its balance sheet after Alegre took its corporate reins of TelevisaUnivision from Wade Davis, the former Viacom CFO who orchestrated a buyout of Univision in 2020 before merging it with Mexico’s Grupo Televisa in 2022, ceded his CEO role to him. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin mergere; akin to Sanskrit majjati he dives

First Known Use

1636, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Rhymes for merge

• dirge
• purge
• scourge
• serge
• splurge
• spurge
• sturge
• surge
• urge
• verge
• converge
• diverge

Kids Definition

merge

verb

ˈmərj 

merged; merging

1

: to be or cause to be swallowed up or absorbed in something else : mingle, blend

merging traffic

2

: combine sense 3a, unite

merge two business firms into one

Legal Definition

merge

verb

ˈmərj 

merged; merging

transitive verb

1

: to cause to unite, combine, or coalesce

merge one corporation with another

2

: to cause to be incorporated and superseded

one effect of a judgment is to merge therein the cause of action on which the action is brought

—American Jurisprudence 2d

compare bar sense 3b

intransitive verb

: to become combined : undergo merger