amalgamate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low frequency; C2Formal; used primarily in academic, business, legal, and technical contexts.
Quick answer
What does “amalgamate” mean?
To combine two or more separate organizations, substances, or groups into a single whole.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To combine two or more separate organizations, substances, or groups into a single whole.
Can describe the blending or merging of ideas, cultures, traditions, or physical components into a unified form. Also used in metallurgy to describe mixing a metal with mercury.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling is consistent. Usage is more common in British English in formal corporate/legal contexts (e.g., 'amalgamate companies').
Connotations
Both share formal/business connotations. In American English, 'merge' is more prevalent in everyday business talk.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British English, especially in historical and legal documents.
Grammar
How to Use “amalgamate” in a Sentence
NP1 amalgamate with NP2NP1 and NP2 amalgamate (to form NP3)NP1 amalgamate into NP2Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “amalgamate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The two parish councils voted to amalgamate next year.
- The proposal is to amalgamate the research departments into one faculty.
American English
- The tech startups decided to amalgamate to better compete with larger firms.
- The unions will amalgamate their pension funds.
adverb
British English
- The departments worked amalgamatedly on the project. (Extremely rare and stilted)
- Not commonly used.
American English
- Not commonly used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The amalgamated society represented workers from multiple trades.
- They reviewed the amalgamated financial statements.
American English
- The amalgamated corporation will be headquartered in Chicago.
- They formed an amalgamated political action committee.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to describe the legal combination of two or more companies into a single entity.
Academic
Used in social sciences to describe the merging of cultures or groups; in chemistry/metallurgy for processes.
Everyday
Rare. Might be used in formal discussions about community groups or clubs merging.
Technical
Specific use in metallurgy (amalgamate gold with mercury) and data processing (amalgamate datasets).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “amalgamate”
- Using it in casual conversation where 'mix' or 'join' is better. Incorrect: 'Let's amalgamate the coffee and sugar.' Correct: 'Let's mix the coffee and sugar.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Amalgamate' is more formal and often implies the components lose their individual identities more completely in the new whole. 'Merge' is more common in general and business English.
No, it's a formal word. In everyday situations, people use words like 'combine', 'mix', 'join together', or 'merge'.
Yes, it can be used abstractly. For example: 'The theory amalgamates concepts from biology and physics.'
The main noun form is 'amalgamation'. (e.g., 'the amalgamation of the two companies was finalized last quarter').
To combine two or more separate organizations, substances, or groups into a single whole.
Amalgamate is usually formal; used primarily in academic, business, legal, and technical contexts. in register.
Amalgamate: in British English it is pronounced /əˈmæl.ɡə.meɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /əˈmæl.ɡə.meɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly; the word itself is used in formal expressions like 'amalgamate into a single entity'.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'AMAL' (like a person) and 'GAM' (game). Amal wants to GAMe with others, so he COMBINES teams. Amal-gam-ate.
Conceptual Metaphor
BLENDING INGREDIENTS INTO A NEW RECIPE, MERGING RIVERS INTO A LARGER STREAM.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'amalgamate' LEAST likely to be used?