collects 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of collect
1
as in contains
to gain emotional or mental control of applicants should collect their thoughts while waiting to be interviewed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in accumulates
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 compiles
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

collects

2 of 2

noun

plural of collect

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 collects
Verb
Potter also requested the district create a public list of every app and platform authorized for elementary classrooms, and what data each collects on users. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2026 The organization collects footwear and clothing donations and routes them toward reuse channels. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026 If Congress doesn't act and allows the trust fund to empty, the program will pay out only what the government collects in taxes. — Medora Lee, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026 Ozlo already collects biometric and environmental data through sensors in the earbuds and case. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026 Remove the bag and filter and turn your machine over to remove the loose debris that sometimes collects inside. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026 This study drew on data from fitness monitors that were worn for a week by a subset of participants in the UK Biobank, which collects health and lifestyle information on half a million people. — Veronique Greenwood, Time, 11 Sep. 2026 The researchers analyzed data from 11,071 participants enrolled in the UK Biobank, a massive database that began recruiting participants in 2005 and collects data about demographics, health and lifestyle. — Barbara Mantel, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026 Dress for Success collects it through donation drives every other month and packs it into what the group calls confidence kits — professional wardrobes assembled for a specific woman and shipped to her. — Frankie McLister, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collects
Verb
  • It was discovered that the organic material inside these ancient space rocks contains pristine chemical signatures from the earliest days of our Solar System.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Many advocates and lawmakers have complained that the system updates too slowly and contains too much inaccurate or missing information, allowing ICE to shield the locations of detainees for days or weeks.
    — Ryan J. Foley, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Aging occurs not merely because damage accumulates but because these protective systems themselves become less effective over time.
    — Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
  • That's why starting this season, a one-game suspension will be given to any player who accumulates penalties from three specific moves — hip drop tackle, horse collar tackle, launching, hit on a defenseless player, and a blindside block.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Both numbers appear in an April 2026 FEDS Note from the Federal Reserve Board, which compiles three separate federal instruments and reports what each found.
    — Ajay Pundhir, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Revisions are a normal part of the process when BLS compiles the report each month.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Here, too, Sussman assembles a formidable catalogue of impediments.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The plant assembles some of Ford's most profitable vehicles, including the F-Series Super Duty and Lincoln Navigator.
    — Jamie L. LaReau, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • In a kind of treasure hunt, Crouch gathers all the acorns on private lands.
    — Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Our home visiting program regularly gathers to share a meal, engage in a developmental activity and create a community for families.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Throughout, Lee’s invocations imbue his subjects with an air of divinity.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Their selective invocations of Washington may have obscured his complicity, but some abolitionists truly believed doing so would help bring the horror of American slavery to an end.
    — John Garrison Marks, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026
Verb
  • The man composes his responses with the help of a manual that instructs him on which incoming string of Chinese characters should be answered with which other string of Chinese characters.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Agent authority composes dynamically.
    — Harsh Singhal, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Speakers noted the Republican nominee's oil and gas investments as the energy sector amasses profits while the Iran war drives up fuel costs.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Kang amasses writings from over the course of her career, beginning with her Nobel lecture and reaching deep into her life’s documents, with diaries, poems, and photographs.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Collects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collects. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster