# merge

/ˈmɝdʒ/ (US) · /mˈɜːdʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/merge
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to combine things

verb · CEFR B2

to join two or more things together to form one single thing.

For teachers: to combine or cause to combine to form a single entity.

- The two small companies decided to merge to become more competitive.
- The board of directors voted to merge the two subsidiaries into a single entity to streamline operations and reduce overhead costs.

### 2. to blend gradually

verb · CEFR B2

to change slowly until one thing becomes part of another.

For teachers: to blend or disappear gradually into something else.

- The sea and the sky seemed to merge on the horizon.
- In his later paintings, the sharp outlines of the figures begin to merge with the abstract background, creating a sense of fluid motion.

### 3. traffic

verb · CEFR B2

to move into a different lane of traffic.

For teachers: to move from one lane of traffic into another, or for two lanes of traffic to join together.

- You should check your mirror before you merge into the fast lane.
- Drivers are encouraged to use both lanes until the point of closure and then merge alternately, a technique known as zipper merging.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'into'.

### 4. joining together

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the act of joining two or more things together.

For teachers: the act or instance of combining multiple sources or entities into one.

- The software update performs a merge of all your old files into the new system.
- The developer initiated a code merge to integrate the new features from the experimental branch into the main project repository.

## Examples

- The two small companies decided to merge last year.
- Drivers should stay in their lanes until the point where the two roads merge into one.
- The director attempted to merge traditional hand-drawn animation with modern digital effects to create a visual style that felt both nostalgic and innovative.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.