collect at

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "collect at" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to indicate when to collect something. For example, "Please collect the package at the post office."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

In the other 5 institutions it was not possible to perform interviews and collect AT in all hospitals.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

Blood collection will be collect at this stage.

BMC Endocrine Disorders

He sometimes calls collect at three in the morning.

The New Yorker

But illegal immigrants never get to collect at all.

The New York Times

They sell whatever they can collect at cheaper prices.

The New York Times

The rest of the waiters collect at the service station, trying not to stare.

The New York Times - Style

Even without the tainted homers, Girardi theorized that Rodriguez could collect at least 600 clean homers.

The New York Times - Sports

The process is intended to collect at least 100,000 tons a year of the gas.

The New York Times

Mr Romney was expected to collect at most $13m over the same period.

Independent

Letters from his elderly mother in St . Petersburgcollect at the social service agency where he received his mail.

The New York Times

The Democrats' strategy was to collect at least 6 Republican votes to add to the 45 from their own party.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific writing, specify the exact juncture (e.g., "the interface" or "the outlet") to provide precision.

Common error

Writers sometimes fail to clarify if the subject is doing the collecting or being collected. For example, "the water will collect at the base" (intransitive) is correct for natural buildup, whereas "you should collect at the base" (transitive) implies someone should perform the action of gathering something else there.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "collect at" functions primarily as a verb phrase followed by a prepositional phrase of location or time. According to Ludwig, it can be used both transitively (where an agent gathers items) and intransitively (where items or substances naturally gather).

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Academia

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "collect at" is a highly versatile and grammatically correct expression used across a wide variety of English registers. Analysis from Ludwig shows it is equally effective at describing physical phenomena (like rainwater collecting at a base), logistical actions (like collecting a package at a branch), and human behavior (like waiters collecting at a service station). Because it serves both transitive and intransitive functions, it is a staple in both scientific reporting and everyday journalism. When using it, ensure the context clearly identifies whether the collection is an active human effort or a passive natural process.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

gather at

Suggests a more social or natural coming together of people or objects

accumulate at

Implies a gradual buildup of substances or data over time

be picked up at

Specific to logistics and retrieving an item from a location

assemble at

Suggests an organized meeting or the joining of parts

pool at

Often used for liquids or resources collecting in a low spot

cluster at

Describes objects or data points forming a group in one area

amass at

Connotes a large quantity of something being gathered

congregate at

Used almost exclusively for groups of people or animals

be retrieved at

A more formal way to describe picking something up

pile up at

An informal way to describe physical objects gathering messily

FAQs

How do I use "collect at" in a sentence?

You can use "collect at" to specify a location or time for gathering. For example, "The samples will <a href="/s/collect+at" target="_blank" rel="alternative">collect at the bottom of the tube", or "Please <a href="/s/gather+at" target="_blank" rel="alternative">gather at the entrance for the tour".

Is it "collect at" or "collect from"?

It depends on the direction of movement. Use "collect at" to describe the destination where something gathers (e.g., "dust will <a href="/s/accumulate+at" target="_blank" rel="alternative">accumulate at the corners"). Use "collect from" when you are taking something away from a source.

What is a more formal way to say "collect at"?

In a logistical or business context, you might say "<a href="/s/be+picked+up+at" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be picked up at" or "<a href="/s/be+retrieved+at" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be retrieved at".

Can "collect at" be used for people?

Yes, it is often used for people in a slightly informal or descriptive way, such as "waiters <a href="/s/gather+at" target="_blank" rel="alternative">gather at the station". However, "<a href="/s/congregate+at" target="_blank" rel="alternative">congregate at" is more formal for groups of people.