1
2
as in to harvest
to catch or collect (a crop or natural resource) for human use late summer is when we gather the tomatoes and begin canning them for the winter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5
as in to accumulate
to gradually form into a layer, pile, or mass the newspapers that had been allowed to gather on the front doorstep told thieves that the family was away on vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6
7
as in to summon
to call into being through the use of one's inner resources or powers gathered the strength to finish the marathon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb gather differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of gather are assemble, collect, and congregate. While all these words mean "to come or bring together into a group, mass, or unit," gather is the most general term for bringing or coming together from a spread-out or scattered state.

a crowd quickly gathered

Where would assemble be a reasonable alternative to gather?

Although the words assemble and gather have much in common, assemble implies an ordered union or organization of persons or things often for a definite purpose.

experts assembled for a conference

When is collect a more appropriate choice than gather?

The words collect and gather can be used in similar contexts, but collect often implies careful selection or orderly arrangement.

collected books on gardening

When could congregate be used to replace gather?

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

congregating under a shelter

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 gather The rapper gathered friends, family, and A-list celebrities for the high-class affair. Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 3 Oct. 2025 Rainwater tends to gather along the road edges. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025 Nearly four months ago, thousands of Arizonans gathered on June 14 for the first No Kings demonstration at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza at the state Capitol in Phoenix. Michelle Cruz, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025 Physical risk and resilience were on the tip of the tongue last week for many of the executives who gathered in New York for Climate Week. Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gather
Verb
  • Lawmakers have promised that schools and local governments, which receive a large share of the sales tax revenue the state collects, will be held harmless by the shift.
    Paul Egan, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • It's collected nine Assembly co-sponsors and four from the Senate but hasn't been brought to a committee, Brill said.
    Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This extra moonlight was historically used by farmers to harvest their crops for longer after dusk amid diminishing temperatures and fewer daylight hours in the fall.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The novel solution is a compact, top-like device that harvests kinetic energy from waves and vessel movements.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Thousands converge every week on the streets of Tel Aviv to express their anger at the government and call for an end to the war.
    Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
  • But their stars blazed different paths for them both, converging again only by a twist of fate.
    Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Most originated in Asia and are derived from Paeonia lactiflora.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Reuters reported that membership in the GenZ 212, which derived its name from Morocco’s area code, has soared in recent days—jumping from 3,000 last week to 130,000 on Thursday.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This was the round when Liverpool lost yet again, Arsenal moved to the top of the Premier League, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca lost his cool but gained a few friends and Manchester United won a fairly straightforward, drama-free match.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Honer, a former college diver, moved to Nashville in 2024 after gaining viral success.
    Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Khatami summoned me and heard my warning.
    Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Brown, then 68, had been out of coaching for five years, working as an ESPN analyst, when UNC summoned him back in November 2018 to replace Larry Fedora.
    Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • All the while, the enchanted garden where Travis would get down on one knee was being assembled outside of his and Swift’s house.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The trailer shows Hemsworth’s Geralt assembling an army of adventurers to track down his former Witcher apprentice Ciri (Freya Allan).
    Jordan Moreau, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gather. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on gather

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!