Harvest: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when talking about gathering crops or agricultural products, especially when they are ripe and ready to be picked.

• The farmers are set to harvest corn in the fall
• It's important to harvest vegetables when they are ripe

Typically used in agricultural contexts, similar to 'harvest,' but can also be metaphorical, meaning to receive a reward or result of efforts.

• Farmers reap the wheat in late summer
• She worked hard all year and is now reaping the benefits

Best used when referring to bringing people or things together, often in a group. Can apply to information, resources, or people.

• We need to gather everyone for the meeting
• She went into the forest to gather firewood

Appropriate when talking about bringing together various items, often for a specific purpose or from various locations.

• She likes to collect stamps from different countries
• Please collect all the papers before you leave

Use 'harvest' when talking about the process of gathering mature crops from the fields or the season when this process happens. It can also refer to the result of such gathering.

• The farmers worked all day to complete the harvest
• The apple harvest was particularly bountiful this year

Use 'crop' when referring to the plants that are grown and harvested, generally for food. This term emphasizes the type or amount of plants grown.

• This year's corn crop is expected to be very high
• They rotate their crops to maintain soil health

Use 'yield' when discussing the amount of crops produced, often in relation to the efficiency or productivity of agricultural practices. It has a quantitative focus.

• The yield of wheat per acre has increased due to improved farming techniques
• This year's grape yield was lower because of the dry weather

Use 'produce' when referring to fresh agricultural products, especially fruits and vegetables that are sold in markets. It often emphasizes the final products rather than the process or raw form.

• Farmers bring their fresh produce to the market every Saturday
• The supermarket offers a wide variety of organic produce