gather

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive or intransitive

   To bring people or things together in one place, or to come together as a group.

   Grammar: Can take an object (gather the papers) or be used without one (people gathered).

   Patterns

   • gather something
   • gather together
   • gather around someone
   • gather for something

   Please gather your belongings before leaving the train.

   A crowd gathered outside the stadium.

   We gathered around the table to eat.

2. 2verbtransitive

   To collect information or objects from different places, often over time.

   Grammar: Takes an object: gather data, gather evidence.

   Patterns

   • gather information
   • gather evidence
   • gather data

   The researchers gathered data from hundreds of schools.

   She gathered evidence to support her argument.

   He gathered his thoughts before speaking.

3. 3verbtransitive

   To understand or believe something because of what you have heard or seen.

   Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'I gather (that)...' to mean 'I understand'.

   Patterns

   • gather (that) ...
   • gather from something

   I gather you've already heard the news.

   From her tone, I gathered that she was upset.

   We gather from his email that the meeting is canceled.

4. 4verbintransitive

   To increase gradually in amount, speed, or strength.

   Grammar: No object; often used with 'speed' or 'momentum'.

   Patterns

   • gather speed
   • gather momentum

   The train gathered speed as it left the station.

   The campaign is gathering momentum.

Word forms

Common combinations

gather speed

The car gathered speed on the highway.

gather information

We need to gather more information before deciding.

gather around

The children gathered around the storyteller.

gather dust

The old books are just gathering dust on the shelf.

gather together

The family gathered together for the holiday.

Synonyms and how they differ

collect

Collect often suggests a careful or systematic process; gather is more general and can mean simply coming together.

assemble

Assemble is more formal and often used for people or parts; gather is more common in everyday speech.

accumulate

Accumulate emphasizes gradual increase over time; gather can happen quickly.

Opposites

Word family

gathering noun

A meeting or party.

gatherer noun

A person who collects things, often food.

Commonly confused: gather or together?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “gather”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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