# merger

/ˈmɝdʒɝ/ (US) · /mˈɜːdʒɐ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. business/corporate

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

the joining of two or more companies to form one larger company.

For teachers: the legal and financial union of two or more corporations into a single entity, where assets and liabilities are typically consolidated.

- The merger of the two banks will create the largest financial group in the country.
- Following months of intense negotiations, the board of directors finally approved the merger, citing significant potential for operational synergies and market expansion.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'between' or 'of'.

### 2. general joining

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of combining two or more parts into one single unit.

For teachers: the process of merging distinct parts, elements, or groups into a unified whole.

- The merger of different artistic styles created a unique and modern look for the building.
- The proposed merger of the two departments met with resistance from staff who feared a loss of their specific professional identity.

Usage: Commonly used in academic or technical writing to describe the blending of abstract concepts.

### 3. linguistics

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

when two different sounds in a language become the same sound over time.

For teachers: a sound change in which two or more phonemes that were previously distinct merge into a single phoneme.

- In some accents, there is a merger between the sounds in 'cot' and 'caught'.
- The historical merger of these two vowels in Middle English explains why many words that were once pronounced differently now rhyme perfectly.

## Examples

- The merger of the two banks will create a huge company.
- After months of secret negotiations, the two tech giants announced a merger that would consolidate their market share.
- The proposed merger faced intense scrutiny from federal regulators who were concerned that the resulting monopoly would stifle innovation and lead to higher prices for consumers.

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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.