Word: consolidate (verb)

Associations

"Consolidate" means to combine things into one or make something stronger or more solid.

• In business: "The company decided to consolidate its offices into one building." This means they combined offices to be in one place.
• In studying: "She consolidated her knowledge by reviewing all her notes." This means she made her knowledge stronger and clearer.
• In finance: "They consolidated their debts into a single loan." This means they combined many debts into one to manage better.

A similar word is "combine," but "consolidate" often means making something stronger or more effective after combining.

Substitution

You can use:

• "merge" — usually for combining companies or groups.
• "unify" — to make things into one unit.
• "strengthen" — to make something stronger, but without combining.

Each changes the meaning a bit. For example, "merge" focuses on joining, while "consolidate" includes making stronger or more stable.

Deconstruction

"Consolidate" comes from Latin:

• Prefix "con-" means "together."
• Root "solid" means "strong" or "firm."
• Suffix "-ate" turns it into a verb. So, "consolidate" means to make things strong together.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you combined things to make them stronger or better?
• How would you use "consolidate" when talking about your studies or work?
• What is something in your life that could be consolidated to improve it?