# Merge Meaning & Pronunciation: Tech English Practice (2026)

> To combine changes from one branch of code into another, usually from a feature branch into the main codebase.

- **Term:** Merge
- **Part of speech:** verb, noun
- **Pronunciation:** /mɜːrdʒ/
- **English level (CEFR):** B1–B2
- **Topic:** [Code and Git terms](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/topics/software-development-terms.md)
- **Lesson:** https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/merge
- **Last updated:** 2026-10-27

## Meaning

To combine changes from one branch of code into another, usually from a feature branch into the main codebase. It integrates your work with other people's changes.

In Git, a merge takes commits from one branch and applies them to another. This is how teams integrate features into the main product. Merges can be automatic if there are no conflicts, or they require manual resolution if multiple people changed the same lines. Merging is different from rebasing—merge creates a new commit that joins two histories together.

## When you hear it

Used constantly in code reviews, pull requests, standups, and Slack discussions. You'll hear 'merge this PR' or 'we merged the feature branch.' Essential in daily Git workflows.

## Examples

- **Code Review:** "The PR looks good—I'll merge it as soon as the tests pass."
- **Slack:** "Hey, can you merge the payment feature? We want to ship it today."
- **Standup:** "I finished the authentication work and merged it to main this morning."
- **GitHub PR:** "Conflicts resolved. Ready to merge once CI passes."
- **Jira Ticket:** "Merged to staging for QA testing. Expected in production next Wednesday."
- **Retrospective:** "We should have merged to develop earlier to catch that bug sooner."
- **Interview:** "In my last project, I handled merging feature branches daily and resolving merge conflicts."

## What native speakers say

- "Can you merge this PR?"
- "This is ready to merge."
- "We merged the feature branch yesterday."
- "There's a merge conflict here."
- "Let's merge main into develop first."
- "That commit is merged to production."

## Common mistakes

- ✗ "I merged my code to the main file." → ✓ "I merged my branch into main." (In Git, you merge branches, not individual files. The phrase should use 'branch' and 'into' not 'to'.)
- ✗ "Can you merge this code?" → ✓ "Can you merge this PR? / Can you merge this branch?" (You merge branches or pull requests, not 'code.' Be specific about what you're merging.)
- ✗ "We need to merge the changes together." → ✓ "We need to merge the branch. / We need to merge the changes." (Don't say 'merge together'—it's redundant. Just 'merge' alone is clear and natural.)

## Word forms

| Part of speech | Word | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| verb (base form) | merge | Let's merge this feature before the sprint ends. |
| verb (past tense) | merged | I merged the PR yesterday afternoon. |
| verb (present participle) | merging | We're merging the develop branch into main right now. |
| noun | merge | This merge introduces three new API endpoints. |
| adjective | merged | The merged code is now in production. |


## Collocations

- **merge a branch**: The most common usage—combining one branch into another.
- **merge a pull request / PR**: Finalizing a code review and integrating the changes.
- **merge conflict**: When two branches modify the same code and Git can't automatically combine them.
- **merge into main**: Integrating changes into the primary production branch.
- **ready to merge**: Code that has passed tests and is approved for integration.
- **merge request**: The GitLab term for what GitHub calls a 'pull request.'

## Synonyms

- **integrate**: More formal term for bringing changes together. 'Integrate the feature' = 'merge the feature.' Used in formal documentation.
- **combine**: Generic term. 'Combine the branches' works but is less technical than 'merge.'
- **incorporate**: Similar formality to 'integrate.' Slightly older usage, less common in modern Git workflows.
- **squash**: Different—squash combines multiple commits into one before merging, used to keep history clean.

## Opposites

- diverge
- branch (off)
- revert
- split

## Practice

This lesson has 4 practice exercises with instant feedback on the page: https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/merge

## FAQ

### What's the difference between 'merge' and 'rebase'?

Merge combines two branches and creates a new 'merge commit.' Rebase replays your commits on top of another branch, keeping history linear. Merge is safer for shared branches; rebase is cleaner for local branches.

### What is a merge conflict?

A merge conflict happens when two branches changed the same code and Git can't automatically decide which version to keep. You must manually resolve it by choosing which changes to keep.

### Can I merge a branch into itself?

No, that doesn't make sense. You merge one branch INTO another. You can't merge a branch into itself.

### Is 'merge' the same as 'pull request'?

Not exactly. A pull request is a request to review and merge code. The actual 'merge' is the final action that combines the branches after approval.

### What does 'squash and merge' mean?

It combines all commits from a branch into a single commit before merging. This keeps the main branch's history clean and easier to read.

### Who can merge a PR?

Usually maintainers or team leads have permission to merge. Sometimes anyone can merge their own PRs, depending on your team's rules.


## Related

- [Pull Request](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/pull-request.md)
- [Branch](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/branch.md)
- [Merge Conflict](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/merge-conflict.md)
- [Rebase](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/rebase.md)
- [Commit](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/commit.md)
- [Code Review](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/code-review.md)
- [Squash](https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn/squash.md)
- Full glossary: https://app.speaktechenglish.com/learn.md
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