What does "gathering" mean?
A meeting or get-together; a party or social function.
Gathering
/ˈɡæð.ɚ.ɪŋ/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A meeting or get-together; a party or social function.
- Grammar: gathering is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: assemblage, assembly, abscess, accumulate.
- Useful contrasts: decrease, decreasing, diminish.
- Usage evidence: We exchanged phone numbers at the end of the gathering.
How to use "gathering"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "gathering" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "gathering" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "gathering" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "gathering" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "gathering" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "assemblage" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "gathering", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A meeting or get-together; a party or social function.
"I met her at a gathering of engineers and scientists."
- 2 the act of gathering something wordnet
- 3 A group of people or things.
"a gathering of Catholics"
- 4 the social act of assembling wordnet
- 5 A section, a group of bifolios, or sheets of paper, stacked together and folded in half.
"This gathering machine forms the backbone of a bookbinding operation."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 sewing consisting of small folds or puckers made by pulling tight a thread in a line of stitching wordnet
- 7 A charitable contribution; a collection.
- 8 a group of persons together in one place wordnet
- 9 The collection of produce, items, goods, etc.; the practice of collecting food from nature. uncountable
"The Neolithic culture from 8000 to 6000 B.C., however, was a brilliant period of the revival of crafts, the transformation of gathering into gardening, the growth of a cross-cultural obsidian trade, and the rise of towns."
- 10 A tumor or boil suppurated or maturated; an abscess.
Verb
- 1 present participle and gerund of gather form-of, gerund, participle, present
Adjective
- 1 That gathers together. not-comparable
"She was worried by the gathering stormclouds."
Example
"We exchanged phone numbers at the end of the gathering."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "gathering"?
Common synonyms include: assemblage, assembly, abscess, accumulate, accumulating, accumulation.
How do you use "gathering" in a sentence?
We exchanged phone numbers at the end of the gathering.
How do you pronounce "gathering"?
Pronounced /ˈɡæð.ɚ.ɪŋ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English gadering, from Old English gaderung (“gathering, assembly”), equivalent to gather + -ing (verbal noun ending).
Etymology 2
From Middle English gaderynge, equivalent to gather + -ing (present participle ending).