crowdfunding
noun
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Crowdsourcing and crowdfunding are two words that have recently found their way into the crowded pool of English. Crowdsourcing, which typically refers to the practice of soliciting services, ideas, or content from a large group of people online, was coined by Jeff Howe in a 2006 article in Wired, and crowdfunding was created by entrepreneur Michael Sullivan in that same year. Both words conceptualize "the crowd" as a vast online community from which something needed may be obtained. In crowdsourcing, the crowd is called upon for needed assistance or information. A well-known use of crowdsourcing is Wikipedia, whose content is the result of various contributors. Crowdfunding, on the other hand, involves a more specific request: the crowd is solicited for financial contributions to a particular venture or cause, such as a film project or cancer research.
Examples of crowdfunding in a Sentence
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2025
Finally, after several years of a successful revival in France, Humanoids opted to go the crowdfunding route to get a new, more deluxe periodical off the ground.
—Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Though there are many crowdfunding horror stories, the Roadie guitar tuner is not one of them.
—Paul Ridden
june 17, New Atlas, 17 June 2025
According to information posted on its homepage, Testament raised just under $900,000 from some 1,800 backers over two crowdfunding rounds.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for crowdfunding
Cite this Entry
“Crowdfunding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crowdfunding. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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