Meaning & use
flock
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Meanings
nouncountable
A group of birds, sheep, or goats that live, feed, or travel together.
Grammar: Countable; used with 'a' or in the plural 'flocks'. Takes a singular or plural verb: 'The flock is/are grazing.'
Patterns
- a flock of birds
- a flock of sheep
- flocks of tourists
A flock of geese flew over the lake at sunset.
The shepherd led his flock of sheep to the upper pasture.
We saw a large flock of flamingos near the shore.
nouncountable
A large group of people, especially when they move together or share an interest.
Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'flocks of' to mean many people.
Patterns
- flocks of people
- a flock of fans
- join the flock
Flocks of tourists gather in the square every morning.
A flock of fans waited outside the stadium for the team bus.
The new café attracted a regular flock of students.
verbintransitive
To gather or move somewhere in a large group.
Grammar: No object; often followed by 'to', 'into', or 'around'.
Patterns
- flock to something
- flock into something
- flock around someone
People flocked to the beach on the first warm day of spring.
Fans flocked into the concert hall as soon as the doors opened.
Tourists flock around the famous statue all year round.
Word forms
| plural | flocks |
|---|---|
| third person singular | flocks |
| past tense | flocked |
| past participle | flocked |
| -ing form | flocking |
Common combinations
- a flock of sheep
- A flock of sheep blocked the narrow road.
- flock to
- Shoppers flocked to the new store on opening day.
- flock together
- Birds of a feather flock together.
- flock around
- Reporters flocked around the celebrity.
Synonyms and how they differ
- herd
- Herd is used for cattle, elephants, and other large animals; flock is for birds and sheep or goats.
- pack
- Pack is used for wolves, dogs, and sometimes groups of people; flock is more common for birds and sheep.
- swarm
- Swarm suggests a dense, moving mass, often of insects; flock is gentler and used for birds or people.
- congregation
- Congregation is a formal word for a gathering of people, often for religious purposes; flock is more general.
Word family
- flock verb
- To move or gather in a large group.
Commonly confused: flock or herd? flock or fluke?
flock vs herd
Herd is for cattle, elephants, etc.; flock is for birds, sheep, and goats.
flock vs fluke
Fluke means a lucky accident; flock is a group of animals or a verb meaning to gather.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'flock' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Flock' is used for birds and sheep or goats, so 'a flock of birds' is correct. 'Herd' is used for cattle and elephants, and 'flock' is not a transitive verb in this sense.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “flock”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.