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

• collaborate
• 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

Stocks rallied on the view that the door is open to easing as soon as September if incoming jobs and inflation data cooperate. —Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025

Local police went to the man’s residence but refused to arrest him due to state law that forbids law enforcement from cooperating with immigration authorities. —Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 2025

Phoenix Union High School District Superintendent Thea Andrade said the district is cooperating fully with the investigation. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2025

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also been urged by Trump to cooperate further on security and clamp down on cartels. —Greg Wehner , Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2025

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

Rhymes for cooperate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

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