Clustering is a method used in data analysis to group similar items together. Imagine you have a collection of different fruits, like apples, bananas, and oranges. Clustering helps you organize these fruits into groups based on their characteristics, such as color or size. This way, you can easily identify patterns and relationships within the data. In the world of machine learning, clustering is often used to analyze large datasets. For example, a company might use clustering to segment its customers into different groups based on purchasing behavior. This information can help businesses tailor their marketing strategies and improve customer satisfaction.