merging

1. 1
   verb

   Present participle and gerund of merge.

   The companies are merging their operations to cut costs.

   Merging onto the freeway during rush hour can be stressful.

   Note

   The -ing form does two jobs. After a form of be it builds the progressive (the companies are merging), and on its own it heads a clause as a gerund (merging onto the freeway). Because merge is both transitive and intransitive, the progressive can take an object, as in merging their operations, or stand without one, as in two streams merging. The same spelling also serves as a noun for the act or result.

2. 2
   noununcountable

   The act of combining two or more things into one, or the result of that combination.

   The merging of the two banks created the largest lender in the region.

   After the merging, the two offices shared a single phone system.

   Similarmerger, combination, amalgamation, consolidation, union

   Oppositeseparation, split

   Note

   A true noun, and its grammar shows it. It takes an article and an of-phrase (the merging of the two banks), whereas the verbal gerund takes a direct object (merging the two banks). It can also be counted, so several mergings is possible. When you are unsure which you have written, try adding the: only the noun accepts it.

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