congealing

verb

present participle of congeal
1
as in freezing
to become physically firm or solid the surface of the pond congealed after several days of frigid temperatures

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gelling
to turn from a liquid into a substance resembling jelly the gravy had already started to congeal by the time the waiter served our dinners

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 congealing The career that has followed has been the rare one that survived a child-star debut without ever congealing into the obvious next thing. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 17 June 2026 Slowing and congealing the formless language of my thoughts. — Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for congealing
  1. freezing
  2. gelling
  3. hardening
  4. stiffening
  5. coagulating
  6. clotting
Verb
  • Last year the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) began offering rankings protection if players decide to undergo an egg or embryo freezing procedure.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026
  • While the district took a series of cost-cutting steps — including freezing spending on supplies, hiring and most new contracts, as well as laying off employees — successive budget updates showed the financial hole continuing to deepen.
    — Chaewon Chung August 16, Sacbee.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of freezing
Verb
  • Carrick using Mbeumo as a centre-forward is not new — but the way United’s forward line is gelling around him is.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Its remaining five songs seem to appear at random, never gelling into a cohesive force or threading a narrative.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 6 July 2026
Definition of gelling
Verb
  • These rules manifest as algorithms, AI models, platforms, technological infrastructure and social convention, hardening through use into the conditions of cultural life.
    — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The state needs to have programs to help incentivize and help subsidize these hazard mitigation measures and home hardening measures.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of hardening
Verb
  • Not to mention their unusually flexible blood vessels could also help compensate for stiffening heart tissue.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Even simple movements can encourage healthy blood flow and keep fascia from stiffening up.
    — Jennifer Heimlich, Time, 27 July 2026
Definition of stiffening
Verb
  • As most of the scientific books tell us, coagulating protein at lower temperatures produces more tender clumps; adding a little water or cream makes an omelet tenderer still.
    — Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Two dented blue bottles of Cuajo Titanium, a liquid coagulating enzyme used to curdle milk, remained on a wooden table, caked in mud.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of coagulating
Verb
  • Her treatment was complicated by existing blood-clotting disorders, liver problems and allergies to certain medications, KAKE reported.
    — Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Kumamoto authorities were to start delivering leaflets to those taking shelter in their cars, urging them to stay in cool places, drink enough liquids and regularly exercise to avoid blood-clotting risks.
    — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of clotting

Browse Nearby Words

congealed
congealing
congeals
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Congealing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/congealing. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on congealing

Nglish: Translation of congealing for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of divulge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All