bring together

make people or things meet or work as a group

B1

What does "bring sb/sth together" mean?

To bring people or things together means to cause them to meet, unite, or work as a group — often with a clear purpose or goal. There is usually an active force doing the uniting: a person, an event, a shared experience, or a project. The phrasal verb often carries a positive feeling, suggesting that the union creates something stronger or better than what existed before. It can describe people coming together (like communities, teams, or old friends) or abstract things like ideas, themes, or resources being combined. You will hear it in everyday conversation, news articles, business meetings, and public speeches.

Examples

How to use it

bring together + people/things

The most common pattern, where a person, event, or initiative unites a group of people or a set of things.

The summer festival brings together artists and musicians from all over the region.

bring + pronoun + together

When the object is a pronoun, it must always go between 'bring' and 'together' — it cannot come after.

The project has been struggling, but this deadline might finally bring us together.

bring + short noun phrase + together

Short noun phrases can be placed between 'bring' and 'together' or after the particle — both are natural.

The coach managed to bring the team together before the final match.

be brought together + by + cause/agent

The passive form is very natural and is often used to describe what caused the union, such as an event or shared goal.

Volunteers from twelve different towns were brought together by the relief effort.

to bring together + people/things (infinitive)

The infinitive form is commonly used after verbs like 'aim', 'hope', 'try', or 'want' to describe a goal or intention.

The new programme aims to bring together young people from different schools across the city.

Common Collocations

bring together expertsbring together communitiesbring together the teambring together people from different backgroundsbring together old friendsbring together ideas

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placement

When the object is a pronoun like 'them', 'us', or 'everyone', it must go between 'bring' and 'together'. Placing the pronoun after 'together' is incorrect.

✗ The shared experience brought together them.
✓ The shared experience brought them together.
Confusing with 'put together'

'Put together' means to assemble or create something from parts, like a report or a piece of furniture. 'Bring together' focuses on uniting people or separate elements around a shared purpose — don't use them interchangeably.

✗ She brought together a presentation using slides from different team members.
✓ She put together a presentation using slides from different team members.
Separating with a long noun phrase

When the object is a long or complex noun phrase, it sounds more natural to keep 'bring' and 'together' unseparated and let the full phrase follow 'together'.

✗ The summit brought representatives from all the major international organisations together.
✓ The summit brought together representatives from all the major international organisations.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works in both formal writing and everyday speech. It often has a positive meaning, suggesting that bringing people or things together creates something better than they could achieve separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'bring together' be used for things as well as people?

Yes, it works for both. You can bring together people like communities or teams, but also abstract things like ideas, evidence, or themes. For example, the report brings together research from several different studies.

Does 'bring together' always have a positive meaning?

It is usually positive or at least neutral, suggesting that the union creates something useful or meaningful. However, it can occasionally be used in neutral contexts — for example, bringing together rival factions for a difficult negotiation. It rarely has a negative meaning.

Can I use 'bring together' in the present continuous — for example, 'is bringing together'?

It is possible, but it sounds a little awkward and is not very common. Speakers more often use the simple present ('brings together') or the present perfect ('has brought together') instead.

Is 'bring together' used more in formal writing or in everyday speech?

It works in both. You will see it in news headlines and business documents, but it is also common in everyday conversation — for example, talking about a trip that brought old friends together.

What kinds of subjects typically go with 'bring together'?

The subject is usually the unifying force — for example, an event, a project, a crisis, a shared interest, or a person organising something. Common examples include 'the conference brought together...', 'the experience brought them together', or 'she worked hard to bring the two sides together'.

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