collect 1 of 2

1
as in to contain
to gain emotional or mental control of applicants should collect their thoughts while waiting to be interviewed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to accumulate
to gradually form into a layer, pile, or mass dust has been collecting under my bed for years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to compile
to bring together from several sources into a single volume or list collected the author's early short stories, which were originally published in several obscure sci-fi magazines

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
5

collect

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb collect differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of collect are assemble, congregate, and gather. While all these words mean "to come or bring together into a group, mass, or unit," collect often implies careful selection or orderly arrangement.

collected books on gardening

When can assemble be used instead of collect?

The synonyms assemble and collect are sometimes interchangeable, but assemble implies an ordered union or organization of persons or things often for a definite purpose.

experts assembled for a conference

Where would congregate be a reasonable alternative to collect?

In some situations, the words congregate and collect are roughly equivalent. However, congregate implies a spontaneous flocking together into a crowd or huddle.

congregating under a shelter

When might gather be a better fit than collect?

Although the words gather and collect have much in common, gather is the most general term for bringing or coming together from a spread-out or scattered state.

a crowd quickly gathered

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of collect
Verb
Scientists monitoring a river collect data and then have a choice about whether to act on their findings. Dan Samorodnitsky, Quanta Magazine, 11 Aug. 2025 The larvae that Bruning and Idalski collect are then sent for genetic sequencing. Andrew Montequin, jsonline.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
Think playing in the rain, collecting rocks or seashells, and doing shadow puppets and telling ghost stories at night. Kimberly Zapata, Parents, 17 Oct. 2025 Always use clean, sharp scissors and cut at an angle to allow the stems to collect water even if they’re situated against the bottom of the vase. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for collect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collect
Verb
  • Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid, which can alter the pH balance of urine.
    MD Published, Verywell Health, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The popcorn may contain undeclared peanuts, posing a serious risk of allergic reactions.
    Jenna Anderson, Health, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • When exposure occurs through food or drinking water, cesium-137 can accumulate in the body and increase the risk of cancer due to its DNA-damaging properties.
    Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
  • When nesting under your porch or deck or in a crawlspace, chimney, or attic, raccoon waste will accumulate and cause odors.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Schweitzer compiled eight kills, three blocks and an ace.
    Kristina Banahan, Boston Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
  • By the time he was brought in, Assouline and Nike had already begun compiling and photographing some of the numerous mementos from the life and career of Jordan that serve as the backbone of the book, many of which have never been seen.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Just three minutes later, Schneider’s shot-on-goal was deflected by a Canton defender toward the strong-side post, which Handwerk gathered and finished off for the insurance goal.
    Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
  • About two dozen people gathered at the town council meeting on October 16 to voice concern and distress about drinking, bathing in or washing their clothes in the yellow, brown water as the public comment period stretched over an hour.
    Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The actor had previously met success with the first film in Netflix's The Kissing Booth series, but his searing performance as the nervy, brooding jock Nate Jacobs was among the most potent features that made Euphoria a water cooler hit.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The council has met regularly since the fall to collect public input and formulate recommendations, but the final proposal for a graduation standard to the governor will be made by the Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler.
    Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Now, Pritzker could always bring a court action and then the courts could decide whether the facts are there to support his invocation of the Insurrection Act.
    ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Many of those invocations dealt with white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan attacking Black Americans or attempting political violence following the end of slavery in the South and the Civil War.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Its mid-rise Harlow jeans are composed of a cotton and elastane blend, with a powder-blue hue and strategic hints of distressing down the leg.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025
  • This entire combo feels so effortless yet composed, the kind of outfit that looks intentional even after a red-eye.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Among them are the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, the Sandia National Laboratories in California and New Mexico, the Los Alamos National Laboratory—central to nuclear weapons design—in New Mexico and the Pantex Plant in Texas, where warheads are assembled and dismantled.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
  • The first round recommendations were drawn up by the Statewide K-12 Graduation Council, assembled by the governor to address the issue in the wake of last year’s election.
    Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 20 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Collect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collect. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on collect

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!