Definition of gatheringnext
1
2
3

gathering

2 of 3

adjective

gathering

3 of 3

verb

present participle of gather
1
2
as in harvesting
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 accumulating
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 summoning
to call into being through the use of one's inner resources or powers gathered the strength to finish the marathon

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 gathering
Noun
The Families Private Equity Would Never Have Reached Early in her career, Patlakh held community gatherings at the Jewish Community Center to challenge how Russian-speaking immigrant families talked about developmental delays. Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 Under her guidance, its role as a gathering place has only grown. Brennan Long, Southern Living, 7 July 2026
Verb
Some 2,000 years later, under very different circumstances, the darkness is gathering again. Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 Some clinicians say gathering more data on children at high risk for diabetes would inform clinical interventions. Lauren Chan, STAT, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gathering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gathering
Noun
  • Depending on the circumstances, charges could include incitement to riot, vandalism, theft, assault, reckless driving, unlawful assembly, conspiracy and other offenses, police said.
    Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 9 July 2026
  • Over the next 18 months, the establishment of the factory is expected to generate 239 local jobs focused on assembly, logistics, and technical operations.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
Noun
  • An explosion went off near the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus on Tuesday, where French President Emmanuel Macron had spent the night ahead of a meeting with his Syrian counterpart, according to French and Syrian media.
    Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • The build-up to this meeting has been tense, with defense spending remaining a contentious topic.
    Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 7 July 2026
Noun
  • One Tarrant County restaurant was temporarily closed, and roaches and an accumulation of fruit flies were seen at others during the latest round of county health inspections, according to the inspection reports.
    Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026
  • This accumulation of electrons reduces the charge on nearby lithium ions, directly forcing them to solidify into battery-killing metallic dendrites.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 July 2026
Adjective
  • But this bet will face its most serious test in the brewing Republican presidential primary.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The data the probe is collecting at the farthest reaches of our solar system is the first of its kind.
    Brett Tingley, Space.com, 8 July 2026
  • Despite collecting from countless franchises, Darth Vader remains one of his all-time favorites.
    Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • Since radishes mature much more quickly than carrots, harvesting them creates room for the carrots to fully mature.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 30 June 2026
  • Historians estimate that people have been growing and harvesting olives for some 8,000 years.
    Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • In May 2021, a 17-year-old’s birthday party announcement went viral on TikTok, resulting in more than 2,000 partygoers converging along the Huntington Beach pier and downtown area.
    Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Shortstop Francisco Lindor backed up and called off the converging outfielders before losing his footing and falling right in front of Tyrone Taylor, who tripped over Lindor while failing to make the catch.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026
Verb
  • Adoring the outcome means deriving joy from seeing the success of others.
    Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
  • But deriving a unified theory of volcanism will require a geologic Manhattan Project.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gathering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gathering. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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