collecting

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
3
as in compiling
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

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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 collecting The plan would test the robot between Everest Base Camp and Camp IV at nearly 8,000 meters (26,247 feet), collecting data on battery performance, locomotion, joint stress, and environmental resilience. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026 The sites handle marketing and collecting payment for a portion of the rental proceeds. Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026 Every election, we’re told to choose between people who have spent decades climbing the same ladder, collecting the same endorsements, sucking-up to the same billionaires, and making the same promises. Jack Schlossberg, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026 If the creditor wins the lawsuit, collecting what's owed from a Social Security recipient can be more complicated than collecting from someone who earns wages. Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 8 June 2026 Local Law Enforcement Takes Over The current system of collecting and publishing bus crash data began as part of a federal push for safer roads. Willoughby Mariano, ProPublica, 8 June 2026 Abel started collecting cards with his dad, Neil, and brother, Theron, as a young child. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 8 June 2026 No collecting souvenirs, like flowers or antlers. Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 7 June 2026 Election workers collecting ballots from a drop box in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday found multiple mail-in ballots that had been burned, officials say. Jasmine Mendez follow, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collecting
Verb
  • In the center, the team placed an artificial blue flower containing a sugary solution and let the bees explore it.
    Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 4 June 2026
  • But despite completing initiatives to remove SSNs and other sensitive personal data from its systems, the official said Columbia inadvertently missed a legacy database containing my SSN.
    Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • Immune cells here degraded old and damaged red blood cells, accumulating iron from the hemoglobin for a short period.
    Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
  • Attendance diminished in recent years as the Wizards tore down their roster in the hopes of accumulating draft picks in trades and losing enough games to win early picks via the annual draft lottery.
    Josh Robbins, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • The pair are compiling a survey of the aquatic bugs in the reemerging canyons and how those underwater worlds are changing as time passes.
    Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
  • Askren retired from mixed martial arts in 2019 after compiling a 19-2 record, with both losses coming in his three UFC fights.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • As a row of kids delighted in mixing cotton candy and frozen lemonade into an only-at-the-ballpark dessert, the usher alerted the parents that a mass of boisterous and predominantly shirtless men soon would be assembling in a nearby section.
    Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
  • Somewhere a hand was raised, a whistle was blown, and all at once the butchers were out of their stalls, assembling in the aisles.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • Candidates who asked questions early, while the AI was still gathering information, were less likely to get offers.
    Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
  • Visitors and patrons say the appeal of the arts lies in the unique experience of gathering together in person.
    Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • In the early 1960s, Negri was hired as the music director for the ABC affiliate Pittsburgh station WTAE, playing on various live programs and composing theme music for over 20 years.
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 2 June 2026
  • Modern agentic systems are dynamic, composing dependencies and integrating multiple models at runtime, a shift confirmed by massive industry investments.
    Pranay Ahlawat, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • But despite amassing a customer base, the fervor wasn’t enough to sway her towards baking as a full-time career.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 7 June 2026
  • Andrews has built a career as a professional runner and mountaineer, amassing more than 100 world records across mountains, roads and trails.
    Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • The East Ridge rookie shook his man behind the net, battled through converging players to curl out front and scored at the far post.
    Tris Wykes, Twin Cities, 9 June 2026
  • Taken together, these seven projects show that the future of flight is not a single silver bullet, but a portfolio of electric, hybrid, hydrogen, and radically aerodynamic designs converging on the same goal – drastically lower emissions and noise without giving up speed or range.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Collecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collecting. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.

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