cooperate

verb

co·​op·​er·​ate kō-ˈä-pə-ˌrāt 

cooperated; cooperating; cooperates

intransitive verb

1

: to act or work with another or others : act together or in compliance

refused to cooperate with the police

2

: to associate with another or others for mutual benefit

nations cooperating to fight terrorism

cooperator

kō-ˈä-pə-ˌrā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• band (together)
• collaborate
• concert
• concur
• conjoin
• conspire
• join
• league
• team (up)
• unite

Examples of cooperate in a Sentence

It will be much easier if everyone cooperates.

Several organizations cooperated in the relief efforts.

The country agreed to cooperate with the other nations on the trade agreement.

The mother asked the child to put on his pajamas, but the child refused to cooperate.

Witnesses were willing to cooperate.

Recent Examples on the Web

West of the oceanside keys, also known as the backcountry, usually holds tarpon more willing to cooperate. —Max Inchausti, Field & Stream, 24 Apr. 2024

When these four countries cooperate, their actions have far greater effect than the sum of their individual efforts. —Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024

He was fired, according to The Washington Post, and is cooperating with federal authorities. —Adriana Gomez Licon, Quartz, 23 Apr. 2024

But when the board asked the Albany Police Department for a copy of the case file and issued subpoenas to compel the investigators to answer questions, the police refused to cooperate. —Maria Cramer, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2024

The supplier is cooperating with investigators, the FDA said. —Luke Garrett, NPR, 18 Apr. 2024

Those worries dissipated a week later when Ohtani offered a detailed account to reporters at Dodger Stadium, saying Mizuhara stole from him and pledging to cooperate with any investigations. —Michael S. Schmidt, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024

This means that both the new leadership structure and the outgoing one will have to find a way to cooperate as Port-au-Prince continues to be overrun by ruthless gangs that have forced the shutdown of the main international airport and seaport for more than a month. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2024

This coalition of the malevolent is cooperating ever more closely. —Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin cooperatus, past participle of cooperari, from Latin co- + operari to work — more at operate

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

cooperate

verb

co·​op·​er·​ate kō-ˈäp-(ə-)ˌrāt 

cooperated; cooperating

: to act, work, or associate with others so as to get something done