Definition of assemblenext
1
2
3
as in to summon
to bring together in assembly by or as if by command we assembled the club members to decide who would be traveling with whom on the trip

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb assemble differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of assemble are collect, congregate, and gather. While all these words mean "to come or bring together into a group, mass, or unit," assemble implies an ordered union or organization of persons or things often for a definite purpose.

experts assembled for a conference

When is it sensible to use collect instead of assemble?

While in some cases nearly identical to assemble, collect often implies careful selection or orderly arrangement.

collected books on gardening

When can congregate be used instead of assemble?

While the synonyms congregate and assemble are close in meaning, congregate implies a spontaneous flocking together into a crowd or huddle.

congregating under a shelter

In what contexts can gather take the place of assemble?

In some situations, the words gather and assemble are roughly equivalent. However, gather is the most general term for bringing or coming together from a spread-out or scattered state.

a crowd quickly gathered

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 assemble The ongoing legal dispute Court filings from August 2025 indicated Musk approached Zuckerberg about assembling a cadre of investors to finance a takeover of OpenAI. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026 Since Pitino took over in 2023, the Johnnies have primarily assembled their teams through the transfer portal — an effort backed by billionaire booster Mike Repole. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026 Store separately in the refrigerator, then assemble on the day of serving for the best texture and appearance. Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 31 Mar. 2026 The same manufacturing infrastructure used to assemble cars can often be adapted to produce military vehicles, drones, or support systems for missile defense. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for assemble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for assemble
Verb
  • In Broadview, a few dozen gathered to commemorate the ritual outside alongside detainees.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Ali, who wasn’t formally charged, called his family to say that he would be released on bail, and asked them to gather the funds and collect him from prison.
    Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Because the property was given special permission to build here and to date, is the only structure in Gion allowed to be above the legal limit of 39 feet.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Amid planning for those flights, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman says the agency will send up another Orion crew next year to rehearse rendezvous and docking procedures with moon landers being built by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
    William Harwood, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Olsson, for the first time in her career, was being summoned.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The Italian government formally protested the incident to Israeli authorities and summoned Israel's ambassador to Rome for clarification.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Each year, Heal the Bay collects trash from beaches and watersheds across Los Angeles County with the help of thousands of volunteers.
    CBS LA Staff, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Data broker websites collect and sell information pulled from public records, marketing databases and online activity.
    Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Others were looking ahead to Geneva next month, when the industry converges for Watches and Wonders and the constellation of satellite events that now orbit it.
    Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 30 Mar. 2026
  • As of late March, these two meanings have converged.
    Michael Khouw, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Garcia went on to exclusively play instruments constructed by Irwin for the next two decades.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The scenarios were constructed so that faithfully completing the task would result in the other model being shut down.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Yet big events on the horizon will require as much unity as the GOP can muster.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Cushing hopes the boost in scoring potential from the two deals last week can take pressure off the defense, considering the offense only mustered three shots on goal through the first two matches before showing more cohesion in the win over Gotham FC.
    Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The move to Amazon comes after the episode premiered on the Backyard Sports YouTube channel on January 29, quickly amassing more than 1M unique views on the platform.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Now the content creator — who has amassed over 12 million followers across platforms — is making a historic leap from social media to streaming television.
    Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Assemble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assemble. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on assemble

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster