collaborate

verb

col·​lab·​o·​rate kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt How to pronounce collaborate (audio)
collaborated; collaborating

intransitive verb

1
: to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor
An international team of scientists collaborated on the study.
2
: to cooperate with or willingly assist an enemy of one's country and especially an occupying force
suspected of collaborating with the enemy
3
: to cooperate with an agency or instrumentality with which one is not immediately connected
The two schools collaborate on library services.
collaboration noun
collaborative
kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrā-tiv
-b(ə-)rə- How to pronounce collaborate (audio)
adjective or noun
collaboratively adverb

Did you know?

The Latin prefix com-, meaning "with, together, or jointly," is a bit of a chameleon—it has a habit of changing its appearance depending on what it's next to. For example, if the word it precedes begins with l, com- becomes col-. In the case of collaborate, com- teamed up with the verb laborare ("to labor") to form the Late Latin word collaborare ("to labor together"). Be careful not to confuse collaborate with corroborate, another com- relative. This word was formed when com- (this time shape-shifting to cor-) joined forces with the Latin word robur ("strength"). Together, by way of the Latin verb corroborare, they created the meaning "to support or help prove (a statement, theory, etc.) by providing information or evidence," which carried over into the English word corroborate.

Examples of collaborate in a Sentence

The two companies agreed to collaborate. He was suspected of collaborating with the occupying army.
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.
Weekly analysis and insights from Asia’s largest economy in your inbox Subscribe now On Wednesday, Li urged global business leaders and senior government representatives to collaborate and avoid turning trade into a political or security issue. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 26 June 2025 More Michael Tran/FilmMagic His experience echoes decades of collaborating on films like Jurassic Park, Avatar and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Gabriel Snyder, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025 To be released this Friday, the album also includes veterans (David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, John Hiatt, Steve Earle) and newcomers (Charley Crockett, Molly Tuttle), all collaborating with Louisiana musicians on renditions of Chenier tunes. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2025 By collaborating closely with chief information security officers, CFOs can better understand risk probability and exposure, set spending and ROI metrics, and communicate recommendations for prioritizing cybersecurity investments, EY finds. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for collaborate

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin collaboratus, past participle of collaborare to labor together, from Latin com- + laborare to labor — more at labor

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of collaborate was in 1837

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Collaborate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collaborate. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

collaborate

verb
col·​lab·​o·​rate kə-ˈlab-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce collaborate (audio)
collaborated; collaborating
1
: to work with others (as in writing a book)
2
: to cooperate with an enemy force that has taken over one's country
collaboration noun
collaborationist
-sh(ə-)nəst
noun
collaborator noun

Legal Definition

collaborate

intransitive verb
col·​lab·​o·​rate kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt How to pronounce collaborate (audio)
collaborated; collaborating
: to work jointly with others in some endeavor

More from Merriam-Webster on collaborate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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