congregate
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
adjective
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congregated; assembled.
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formed by collecting; collective.
verb
adjective
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collected together; assembled
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relating to collecting; collective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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congregativenessnoun
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uncongregativeadjective
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noncongregativeadjective
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decongregateverb
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congregativeadjective
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uncongregatedadjective
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congregatornoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have congregatedperfect
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has congregatedperfect 3rd person singular
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have been congregatingperfect progressive
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has been congregatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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am congregatingprogressive 1st person singular
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congregatingparticiple
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is congregatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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congregatessingular 3rd person
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are congregatingprogressive
Past
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had congregatedperfect
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had been congregatingperfect progressive
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was congregatingprogressive singular
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were congregatingprogressive plural
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congregatedparticiple
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congregatedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of congregate
1350–1400; Middle English (adj.) < Latin congregātus (past participle of congregāre to flock together), equivalent to con- con- + greg- (stem of grex ) flock + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
Congregate is a verb that means to come together, to assemble, or to gather. At school dances, you may congregate with your friends, because you get nervous in front of kids you don't know very well. Congregate comes from Latin root words com, meaning "together" and gregare, meaning "to gather in a flock." Congregation, or a gathering or assembly, comes from the same roots, as does gregarious, an adjective describing someone who likes to gather with others to socialize. If you remember the key word is flock — what ministers often call their congregations — you should have no trouble remembering congregate means to flock together.
Vocabulary lists containing congregate
Power Prefix: con-
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The waters off the Indian Ocean coast where throngs of swimmers will soon congregate are home to the world’s three most-dangerous shark species.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
Each competing country has a dedicated coffee house in the city for fans to congregate at.
From Barron's • May 12, 2026
Tiffany Crear said she walked out from a South L.A. congregate shelter about nine months ago.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
Mullen said she is "constantly worried", fearing that rats will get into her home, and said she dreads every time she has to take the bins out as rats congregate nearby.
From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026
I was vaguely aware of a mechanical voice instructing people to congregate in yellow zones.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
