cluster

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Science Technical

n. a group of stars, data points, or cases of a disease that appear close together.

n. a statistically significant grouping of data points, celestial bodies, or medical cases within a specific area or timeframe.

“The telescope revealed a bright cluster of stars in the center of the galaxy.”

“Health officials investigated a cluster of respiratory infections reported within the same three-block radius over the last fortnight.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Slang · Informal

n. a situation where everything goes wrong or is very messy.

n. a chaotic or poorly managed situation; often used as a polite shortening of a more vulgar term.

“The morning commute was a total cluster because of the broken train.”

“The product launch turned into a complete cluster when the servers crashed and the marketing team lost access to their accounts.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to form a group or to move close together.

v. to gather or grow into a cluster; to position objects or data into discrete groups.

“The children clustered around the teacher to hear the story.”

“The cottages were clustered at the foot of the hill, protected from the harsh winds blowing off the Atlantic.”