verb

collate

/kəˈleɪt/ · say it: kuh·LAYT

to collect and combine texts or data

In Formal & Academic

In more detail

1. (verb) to gather and arrange things (such as pages or documents) in proper order

2. (verb) to compare two things carefully to find differences or check accuracy

Examples

1. The printer collated all the pages of the report before binding them.
2. We need to collate the two versions of the document to see what changed.

How to use collate

Collate is used in professional and academic contexts, particularly in publishing, printing, and data analysis. In the first sense, it means to gather and order items systematically, as when assembling a manuscript. In the second sense, it means to examine two or more sources side-by-side to verify consistency or identify discrepancies, often in a formal quality-control process.

Common phrases

collate documents
collate pages
collate data
collate information
collate results

Synonyms

arrange · assemble · compile · organize · compare

Opposites

scatter · disperse

Word family

collation (noun) · collated (adjective) · collating (verb form)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse collate with correlate; collate means to arrange or compare items, while correlate means to have a mutual relationship or connection.

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