communicate

verb com·mu·ni·cate \ kə-ˈmyü-nə-ˌkāt \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

communicated; communicating

transitive verb

1 archaic : share

2 a : to convey knowledge of or information about : make known

communicate a story

She communicated her ideas to the group.

b : to reveal by clear signs

His fear communicated itself to his friends.

He communicated his dissatisfaction to the staff.

3 : to cause to pass from one to another

Some diseases are easily communicated.

intransitive verb

1 : to receive Communion

Some Christians communicate in both elements, bread and wine.

2 : to transmit information, thought, or feeling so that it is satisfactorily received or understood

two sides failing to communicate with each other

The computer communicates with peripheral equipment.

3 : to open into each other : connect

The rooms communicate.

—

communicatee

play \kə-ˌmyü-ni-kə-ˈtē\ noun

—

communicator

noun

See communicate defined for English-language learners

See communicate defined for kids

Examples of communicate in a Sentence

He was asked to communicate the news to the rest of the people.
She communicated her ideas to the group.
The two computers are able to communicate directly with one another.
The pilot communicated with the airport just before the crash.
The couple has trouble communicating.
the challenge of getting the two groups to communicate with each other
We communicate a lot of information through body language.
He communicated his dissatisfaction to the staff.
If you're excited about the product, your enthusiasm will communicate itself to customers.
The disease is communicated through saliva.

Recent Examples of communicate from the Web

The system of communicating content to patrons worked as planned.

— david lyman, Cincinnati.com, "Parental advisory: How to decide what plays are OK for the kids," 19 Apr. 2018
Because Lincoln isn’t verbal and has vision problems, speech and music are important ways of communicating with him.

— jason duaine hahn, PEOPLE.com, "Piano-Playing Mom Sings Sweet Song to 1-Year-Old Son with Rare Terminal Illness," 11 Apr. 2018
In the suboxone case, Jerousek and Cole began an investigation and monitored conversations between inmates, who were communicating with people outside to have the strips sent to the jail via postcard, according to information in court records.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "Strict mail inspection process aims to keep contraband, particularly drugs, out of Harford jail," 11 Apr. 2018
Agencies should have a plan to use social media as another means of communicating with the public alongside standard cellphone and broadcast alerts, the commission said.

— Washington Post, "Botched Hawaii missile alert prompts advice on alert drills," 10 Apr. 2018
Her method of choice? Subliminally communicating with her critics via catchphrases on T-shirts.

— mekita rivas, Teen Vogue, "Fans Respond to Ariel Winter's Church Dress on Instagram," 10 Apr. 2018
Instead, just take things slowly and communicate with your partner.

— lindsey lanquist, SELF, "We Asked Doctors to Answer All Your Questions About Anal Sex," 12 Mar. 2018
Projecting symbols is not only eye-catching for driver warnings, but could also help the self-driving cars of the future communicate with people.

— jack stewart, Wired News, "7 Future-Revealing Details From the 2018 Geneva Motor Show," 11 Mar. 2018
But others see the courtroom as a more neutral forum where parties can set aside partisan rhetoric and communicate with each other in an orderly fashion.

— henry gass, The Christian Science Monitor, "Climate change goes to court," 5 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'communicate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of communicate

Latin communicatus, past participle of communicare to impart, participate, from communis common — more at mean

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1529

in the meaning defined at sense 2a

See Words from the same year

communicate Synonyms

COMMUNICATE Defined for English Language Learners

communicate

verb

: to give information about (something) to someone by speaking, writing, moving your hands, etc.
: to get someone to understand your thoughts or feelings
medical : to pass (a disease) from one person or animal to another