cluster

A group of things gathered close together.

• We found a cluster of berries.
• A small cluster of houses stood near the river.
• The bananas grew in large clusters.

How to use it: a cluster of something (A cluster of flowers grew beside the path.)

Similar words: group, bunch

Common phrases: cluster of something, small cluster, tight cluster, cluster of islands

A group of stars, galaxies, or clouds of gas that appear close together in space.

• This cluster contains many stars.
• Astronomers discovered a new galaxy cluster.
• Can you see the star cluster without a telescope?

How to use it: a cluster of stars/galaxies (The telescope revealed a distant cluster of galaxies.)

Similar words: clump

Common phrases: star cluster, galaxy cluster, globular cluster

To gather or form a group close together.

• People clustered near the door.
• The children clustered around the puppy.
• Small houses cluster together on the hillside.

How to use it: cluster around someone/something (The children clustered around their teacher.); cluster together (The sheep clustered together for warmth.)

Similar words: gather, group, bunch

Opposites: scatter, disperse

Common phrases: cluster around someone, cluster together, cluster near something

To come together in a close group.

• The birds cluster together at night.
• People clustered around the street musician.
• Why do these insects cluster near the light?

How to use it: cluster around someone/something (Visitors clustered around the painting.)

Similar words: gather, group, bunch together

Opposites: scatter, disperse

Common phrases: cluster around someone, cluster together

To place things in small groups across an area.

• Cluster the chairs together near the window.
• They clustered the flowers in small patches.
• The map was clustered with red dots.

How to use it: cluster something around something (The designer clustered the buttons around the screen.); be clustered with something (The hillside was clustered with little houses.)

Similar words: group, bunch

Opposites: scatter

Common phrases: cluster something together, cluster something around something