Standard Lemma guide

coalesce

verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌkəʊ.əˈlɛs/
  • US: /ˌkoʊ.əˈlɛs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /ˌkəʉ.əˈles/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K OW2 AH0 L EH1 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To join into a single mass or whole.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The droplets coalesced into a puddle.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: amalgamate, combine, join, merge, unite, fuse

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To form from different pieces or elements.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The puddle coalesced from the droplets as they ran together.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To bond pieces of metal into a continuous whole by liquefying parts of each piece, bringing the liquids into contact, and allowing the combined liquid to solidify.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To merge, to intermingle freely.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To convert a null value to a defined value.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, databases, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

mix together different elements

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The colors blend well

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blend, flux, mix, conflate, commingle, immix, fuse, meld, combine, merge

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change integrity

Narrower terms: gauge, absorb, melt, meld, blend in, mix in, accrete, conjugate, admix, alloy, syncretize, syncretise

7

verb

Meaning 7

fuse or cause to grow together

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: unify, unite, merge

Narrower terms: clog, clot

History

Etymology

From Latin coalēscō, from co- + alēscō (“grow up”).

Across languages

Translations

78 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: сливам се (slivam se) — to join into a single mass
  • Bulgarian: обединявам се (obedinjavam se) — to join into a single mass
  • Catalan: unir-se — to join into a single mass
  • Catalan: ajuntar-se — to join into a single mass
  • Catalan: incorporar-se — to join into a single mass
  • Chinese Mandarin: 汇聚 (huìjù) — to join into a single mass
  • Czech: sloučit se — to join into a single mass
  • Czech: spojit se — to join into a single mass
  • Dutch: versmelten — to join into a single mass
  • Dutch: samensmelten — to join into a single mass
  • Estonian: kokku sulanduma — to join into a single mass
  • Finnish: yhdistyä — to join into a single mass
  • Finnish: yhtyä — to join into a single mass
  • Finnish: kerääntyä — to join into a single mass
  • French: se fondre — to join into a single mass
  • French: coalescer — to join into a single mass
  • French: s'amalgamer — to join into a single mass
  • German: vereinigen — to join into a single mass
  • German: verschmelzen — to join into a single mass
  • German: zusammenfließen — to join into a single mass
  • German: zusammenfügen — to join into a single mass
  • German: zusammenwachsen — to join into a single mass
  • German: zusammensetzen — to join into a single mass
  • German: zusammenlaufen — to join into a single mass
  • Hebrew: התגבש (hitgabésh) — to join into a single mass
  • Hebrew: התאחד (hit’achéd) — to join into a single mass
  • Hungarian: összeolvad — to join into a single mass
  • Hungarian: egyesül — to join into a single mass
  • Hungarian: egybeolvad — to join into a single mass
  • Italian: fondersi — to join into a single mass
  • Italian: unirsi — to join into a single mass
  • Latin: coalesco — to join into a single mass
  • Manx: co-haah — to join into a single mass
  • Manx: taah — to join into a single mass
  • Portuguese: coalescer — to join into a single mass
  • Portuguese: aglutinar — to join into a single mass
  • Russian: сливаться (slivatʹsja) — to join into a single mass
  • Russian: объединя́ться (obʺjedinjátʹsja) — to join into a single mass
  • Scottish Gaelic: aonaich — to join into a single mass
  • Scottish Gaelic: measgaich — to join into a single mass
  • Spanish: juntarse — to join into a single mass
  • Spanish: incorporarse — to join into a single mass
  • Spanish: coalescer — to join into a single mass
  • Swedish: sammansmälta — to join into a single mass
  • Turkish: birleşmek — to join into a single mass
  • Turkish: bütünleşmek — to join into a single mass
  • Turkish: kaynaşmak — to join into a single mass
  • Ukrainian: злива́тися (zlyvátysja) — to join into a single mass
  • Ukrainian: зли́тися (zlýtysja) — to join into a single mass
  • Ukrainian: об'є́днуватися (obʺjédnuvatysja) — to join into a single mass
  • Ukrainian: об'єдна́тися (obʺjednátysja) — to join into a single mass
  • Bulgarian: сливам се (slivam se) — to form from different elements
  • Czech: sloučit se — to form from different elements
  • Czech: spojit se — to form from different elements
  • Dutch: doen versmelten — to form from different elements
  • Dutch: doen samensmelten — to form from different elements
  • Finnish: yhdistyä — to form from different elements
  • French: se réunir — to form from different elements
  • French: s'unir — to form from different elements
  • French: s'amalgamer — to form from different elements
  • German: vereinigen — to form from different elements
  • German: verschmelzen — to form from different elements
  • German: zusammenfließen — to form from different elements
  • German: zusammenfügen — to form from different elements
  • German: zusammenwachsen — to form from different elements
  • German: zusammensetzen — to form from different elements
  • German: zusammenlaufen — to form from different elements
  • Hungarian: összeolvad — to form from different elements
  • Hungarian: egyesül — to form from different elements
  • Hungarian: egybeolvad — to form from different elements
  • Latin: coalēscō — to form from different elements
  • Manx: covest — to form from different elements
  • Portuguese: coalescer — to form from different elements
  • Portuguese: aglutinar — to form from different elements
  • Russian: объединя́ться (obʺjedinjátʹsja) — to form from different elements
  • Scottish Gaelic: aonaich — to form from different elements
  • Scottish Gaelic: measgaich — to form from different elements
  • Spanish: unirse — to form from different elements