A congregation is a group of people gathered together, especially for religious worship. When families arrive at a church, synagogue, or mosque on their day of worship, they become part of the congregation. The minister, rabbi, or imam leads the service while the congregation participates by singing, praying, or listening together.

A congregation consists of people who have come together on purpose, usually sharing beliefs and values. Many congregations meet weekly and form tight communities where members support each other during hard times and celebrate together during good ones.

You might also hear congregation used outside religious settings to describe any gathering of people or animals in one place. A teacher might ask students to stop congregating in the hallway and head to class. Biologists might study the congregation of monarch butterflies in Mexico during migration season. But the word most commonly refers to people gathered for worship, united by something larger than themselves.