consolidate

verb

con·​sol·​i·​date kən-ˈsä-lə-ˌdāt How to pronounce consolidate (audio)
consolidated; consolidating

transitive verb

1
: to join together into one whole : unite
consolidate several small school districts
2
: to make firm or secure : strengthen
consolidate their hold on first place
He consolidated his position as head of the political party.
3
: to form into a compact mass
The press consolidates the fibers into board.

intransitive verb

: to become consolidated
specifically : merge
The two companies consolidated.
consolidator noun

Examples of consolidate in a Sentence

The two funds will consolidate into one. The administration hopes that such measures will consolidate its position. Rebel forces have consolidated their hold on the region.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Executives, insiders and sources agree that the move to consolidate her businesses is a smart one. Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 8 Apr. 2025 Between the lines: The cases come down to a formerly obscure Supreme Court case from 1935 known as Humphrey's Executor, and are widely expected to be consolidated and sent to the Supreme Court. Emily Peck, Axios, 7 Apr. 2025 FedEx’s Drive transformation framework is designed to save the logistics provider $6 billion by 2027 and includes the Network 2.0 strategy, which is designed to consolidate the FedEx delivery network with fewer stations and routes and increase shipping efficiency. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 4 Apr. 2025 Under those cuts, HHS’s 28 divisions were consolidated to 15. Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for consolidate

Word History

Etymology

Latin consolidatus, past participle of consolidare to make solid, from com- + solidus solid

First Known Use

circa 1512, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of consolidate was circa 1512

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Consolidate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consolidate. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

consolidate

verb
con·​sol·​i·​date kən-ˈsäl-ə-ˌdāt How to pronounce consolidate (audio)
consolidated; consolidating
1
: to join together into one whole : unite
2
: to make firm or safe : strengthen
consolidate a beachhead
consolidation
kən-ˌsäl-ə-ˈdā-shən
noun

Legal Definition

consolidate

transitive verb
con·​sol·​i·​date kən-ˈsä-lə-ˌdāt How to pronounce consolidate (audio)
consolidated; consolidating
: to join together into one whole: as
a
: to combine (two or more lawsuits or matters that involve a common question of law or fact) into one compare class action

Note: Consolidation of matters in the federal courts is governed by Rule 42 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Consolidated cases may become one single action with a single judgment, or may retain their individual identities although tried together. The court may also try one representative case and render a judgment binding on the other cases.

b
: to combine (two or more corporations) to form one new corporation compare merger
consolidation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on consolidate

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