pool together

USAGE SUMMARY

"pool together" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is most commonly used to refer to when a group of people unite to contribute money, resources, or effort for a common cause or goal. For example, "We need to pool together to raise enough money to purchase a new set of equipment."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

They were in the pool together last night.

The Guardian - Sport

The two grew up in the pool together.

The Guardian - Sport

As school ends, the two girls become friends; they spend long days at the pool together.

The New Yorker

They sometimes played pool together at an out-of-the-way bar outside Sag Harbor.

The New York Times

I felt proud to have brought her and Forest Hill pool together.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The two of them left the pool together, smiling, laughing, friends and rivals.

The Guardian - Sport

"If we cease operation waiting for federal monies to come through, I can't keep my network and talent pool together.

The New York Times

A stellar cast of directors pool together for Paris Je T'Aime... Mike Myers is back in Shrek The Third..

The Guardian - Film

To this day, Kejriwal told me, his friends pool together almost four hundred dollars every month to boost the family's income.

The New Yorker

"What we're doing," Mr. Obama said, "is we're setting up a pool so that they can all pool together and get a better deal from insurance companies.

The New York Times - Health

And what we're doing is we're setting up a pool so that they can all pool together and get a better deal from insurance companies.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pool together" when you want to emphasize the collaborative aspect of combining resources for a shared goal. For instance, "The team decided to pool together their expertise to solve the complex problem".

Common error

Avoid using "pool together" when describing individual efforts or actions. The phrase inherently implies a group contribution. For example, it would be incorrect to say "He decided to pool together his own money for the project" because the phrase requires collaboration.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pool together" primarily functions as a phrasal verb, where 'pool' acts as a verb indicating the act of combining or collecting, and 'together' emphasizes the collaborative nature of this action. Ludwig confirms this usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Academia

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "pool together" is a versatile and commonly used phrasal verb that signifies the act of combining resources, efforts, or skills for a shared purpose. As affirmed by Ludwig, its grammatical structure is correct and it's applicable across various contexts, ranging from News & Media to Science. It's crucial to remember that "pool together" necessitates a collaborative effort, making it unsuitable for describing individual actions. Alternatives like "combine resources" or "join forces" can be used to achieve a similar meaning. When aiming to emphasize the aspect of accumulating funding, you might consider alternative phrases such as "amalgamate funds". Overall, understanding the collaborative essence of "pool together" ensures its effective and precise integration into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

combine resources

Focuses on the act of merging available assets.

join forces

Emphasizes the union of different entities to achieve a shared objective.

collaborate

Highlights cooperative work towards a common goal.

unite efforts

Stresses the coordinated application of work or energy.

work jointly

Implies a shared effort in performing a task or activity.

amalgamate funds

Specifically refers to the merging of financial resources.

consolidate efforts

Highlights the process of making efforts stronger or more solid.

cooperate

Implies a general willingness to work together.

band together

Suggests a close-knit group uniting for a purpose.

chip in

Informal way of saying to contribute, usually money, to a common fund.

FAQs

How can I use "pool together" in a sentence?

You can use "pool together" to describe a group combining resources. For example, "The community decided to pool together their funds to build a new library".

What are some alternatives to saying "pool together"?

Alternatives include "combine resources", "join forces", or "collaborate", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to use "pool together" to describe an individual effort?

No, "pool together" implies a group effort. It would be more appropriate to use phrases like "contribute", "invest", or "dedicate" when describing an individual's action.

What's the difference between "pool together" and "collaborate"?

"Pool together" often refers specifically to combining tangible resources like money or materials, while "collaborate" is a broader term that encompasses working together on a project or task, whether or not resources are being combined.