communicate

verb

com·​mu·​ni·​cate kə-ˈmyü-nə-ˌkāt 

communicated; communicating

transitive verb

1

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.

2

: to cause to pass from one to another

Some diseases are easily communicated.

3

archaic : share

intransitive verb

1

: 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.

2

: to open into each other : connect

The rooms communicate.

3

: to receive Communion

Some Christians communicate in both elements, bread and wine.

communicatee

kə-ˌmyü-ni-kə-ˈtē 

noun

Synonyms

• transmit
• spread
• convey
• give

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 on the Web

If your business is targeting global markets this holiday season, develop a plan that clearly communicates shipping costs, delivery expectations and tax implications. —Greg Hewitt, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025

There can be no one-to-one correspondence between text and image because, first, that would make for a boring book, and second, words and images do not communicate in the same ways. —Philip Nel july 28, Literary Hub, 28 July 2025

That kind of information can be demystified and made more accessible through her working merging science and the arts to create films that communicate this in a nontraditional way. —Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2025

The issue could not be communicated down a telephone line, being far too private and important. —Anne Enright, New Yorker, 27 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for communicate

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

Kids Definition

communicate

verb

com·​mu·​ni·​cate kə-ˈmyü-nə-ˌkāt 

communicated; communicating

1

a

: to make known

communicate the news

b

: to pass from one to another : transmit

communicate a disease

2

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

the pilot communicated with the airport

3

: to open into each other : connect

the rooms communicate

communicator

-ˌkāt-ər 

noun

Medical Definition

communicate

transitive verb

com·​mu·​ni·​cate kə-ˈmyü-nə-ˌkāt 

communicated; communicating

: to cause to pass from one to another

some diseases are easily communicated