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 relief corps gathered around Adam Ottavino’s locker, reminiscing about better games while drinking beers. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 June 2025 Attendees gather in a rally organized by the Bar Association of San Francisco in support of attorneys and law firms targeted by President Donald Trump, San Francisco, Thursday, May 1, 2025. Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025 During Atlanta’s first preseason workout, Griner gathered a few younger players and delivered some hard truths. Ben Pickman, New York Times, 22 May 2025 Each evening at 6 p.m. sharp, the exclusive cadre that are the guests of Capella gather to rub elbows and swap stories. Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for gather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gather
Verb
  • Turn Small Talk Into Shared Problem-Solving Shift from collecting contacts to connecting dots.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • The number of people collecting unemployment checks climbed in mid-May to a fresh four-year high, the Labor Department said Thursday.
    Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 June 2025
Verb
  • In a non-hurricane year, Fulford expects to harvest 1,200 pounds of cotton lint per acre.
    Rose Schnabel, Miami Herald, 4 June 2025
  • Next year’s students can also plan to keep a few plants to harvest by early September during non-school hours.
    Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • Allan described the three converging fronts of the perfect storm: AI is creating more code than ever.
    Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • At The Donum Estate, Oracle has found not just a physical home, but a spiritual one—a place where Biggers’ layered histories, material choices, and contemplative intentions converge into a singular, powerful experience.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Naturally derived emulsifiers may not always be better.
    Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 30 May 2025
  • This includes Francoise Bettencourt Meyers of France, an heiress to the L’Oreal fortune who is worth $86 billion, by far the largest fortune to derive from a pure beauty company.
    Jemima McEvoy, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • The toxins accumulate in filter-feeding fish, and then poison larger mammals who gobble up the fish in mass quantities.
    Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025
  • Whenever a Blue Smiley fan or new listener used Spotify to stream the band’s music, both performance royalties and mechanical licensing royalties were being accumulated.
    Tyler Hicks, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • The show lost Samantha (under less than amicable circumstances), as well as actress Kim Cattrall, and gained a number of supporting characters of color.
    Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 30 May 2025
  • Last year, Gmail gained the ability to summarize emails on demand.
    Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Taylor watched the game from the dugout until the ninth inning when he was summoned to pinch run and play left field.
    Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 29 May 2025
  • Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson, Josh Sargent and Yunus Musah, Pulisic’s teammate in Milan, were also left off the 27-man roster summoned to training camp ahead next month’s Gold Cup, although some of those players will be participating in the Club World Cup.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • And — deep breath — assembling rockets at Cape Canaveral.
    Pat Beall, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2025
  • Currently, the modules are manually assembled in a factory with builder partners.
    Jennifer Castenson, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gather. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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