muster
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to assemble (troops, a ship's crew, etc.), as for battle, display, inspection, orders, or discharge.
- Synonyms:
- congregate, convene, convoke
-
to gather, summon, rouse (often followed byup ).
He mustered all his courage.
verb (used without object)
-
to assemble for inspection, service, etc., as troops or forces.
-
to come together; collect; assemble; gather.
- Synonyms:
- congregate, convene
noun
-
an assembling of troops or persons for formal inspection or other purposes.
- Synonyms:
- convention, assembly, gathering
-
an assemblage or collection.
-
the act of mustering.
-
Also called muster roll. (formerly) a list of the persons enrolled in a military or naval unit.
verb phrase
-
muster out to discharge from service in the armed forces.
He will be mustered out of the army in only two more months.
-
muster in to enlist into service in the armed forces.
idioms
verb
-
to call together (numbers of men) for duty, inspection, etc, or (of men) to assemble in this way
-
-
to enlist into military service
-
to discharge from military service
-
-
(tr) to round up (livestock)
-
to summon or gather
to muster one's arguments
to muster up courage
noun
-
an assembly of military personnel for duty, inspection, etc
-
a collection, assembly, or gathering
-
the rounding up of livestock
-
a flock of peacocks
-
to be acceptable
Synonym Usage
See gather.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
mustersimple
-
musterssimple
-
have musteredperfect
-
has musteredperfect
-
am musteringprogressive
-
are musteringprogressive
-
is musteringprogressive
-
have been musteringperfect progressive
-
has been musteringperfect progressive
Past
-
musteredsimple
-
had musteredperfect
-
was musteringprogressive
-
were musteringprogressive
-
had been musteringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of muster
1250–1300; Middle English mostren (v.) < Old French mostrer < Latin mōnstrāre to show, derivative of mōnstrum unnatural event; see monster
Explanation
Originally meaning "to gather soldiers," muster has been expanded to include gathering up just about anything — you can muster up some dinner, some friends, or even some ketchup, pickles, and mustard. Remember that muster used to involve getting reluctant soldiers out of bed and into the field of battle — so it involves overcoming a certain inertia. When you muster up the courage to face something, it's clear that this is pretty scary for you.
Vocabulary lists containing muster
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He will be able to easily muster the support of 81 of Labour's 400-plus MPs -- the minimum needed to kickstart a contest.
From Barron's • Jun. 19, 2026
I can’t, at the very least, muster a curiosity for its storied past as a haven for gay men pre-AIDS crisis?
From Salon • Jun. 18, 2026
Against that background, support among the ECB’s policymakers for further rises in the key rate may be difficult to muster.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
It specified 10 aggravating factors, the presence of which would allow a jury to return a death sentence in the belief that such “guided discretion” would pass constitutional muster.
From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026
Jonathan tried to rekindle his hatred, but all he could muster was the desire to stand close to them, to be taken care of.
From "The Fighting Ground" by Avi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
