coalesce

/kəʊ.əˈlɛs/

Group 3Difficulty 2/3

Definition

(verb)
To come together and form one mass or whole
GRE

Example in Context

What had begun as scattered protests quickly coalesced into a national movement with a unified set of demands and a coherent leadership structure.

Synonyms

mergeunitecombine

Etymology

To grow together, combining distinct elements into a whole.

  • co- (Latin) — together
  • alescere (Latin) — to grow

Memory Aid

🔥Sounds like “coal-less

Imagine COALLESS firewood coming together to form a massive bonfire!

Visual Association

🔗Different colored liquids merging in a beaker to create a new vibrant color.

Semantic Clusters

Synonym Groups

Confusable Pairs

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “coalesce” mean on the GRE?

coalesce (verb) means “To come together and form one mass or whole”. What had begun as scattered protests quickly coalesced into a national movement with a unified set of demands and a coherent leadership structure.

How to remember “coalesce” for the GRE?

Mnemonic: “coalesce” sounds like “coal-less”. Imagine COALLESS firewood coming together to form a massive bonfire!

What are synonyms for “coalesce”?

Common synonyms: merge, unite, combine.