cooperate

verb

co·​op·​er·​ate kō-ˈä-pə-ˌrāt How to pronounce cooperate (audio)
cooperated; cooperating; cooperates
Synonyms of cooperatenext

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 noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to charging documents, Contreras Aguilar conspired with other MS-13 members to lure a 14-year-old boy believed to be cooperating with law enforcement to a park in Fairfax County, where the teenager was held down, slain, and buried by the Salvadoran gang. Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 24 Mar. 2026 The pickup driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with authorities, police said. Paula Wethington, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026 Albanese said the defense partnership would provide a framework for the EU and Australia to cooperate on global challenges, marking as areas of collaboration defense industries, maritime security, cyber security, countering terrorism and combating hybrid threats such as disinformation. ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026 Ukraine has rallied the world on the issue, building international coalitions to try to push Russia to cooperate. Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 22 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cooperate

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of cooperate was in 1582

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cooperate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cooperate. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

cooperate

verb
co·​op·​er·​ate kō-ˈäp-(ə-)ˌrāt How to pronounce cooperate (audio)
cooperated; cooperating
: to act, work, or associate with others so as to get something done

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