collaborate

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitive

   To work together with someone or a group to produce or achieve something.

   Grammar: No object; often followed by with or on: collaborate with someone on something.

   Patterns

   • collaborate with someone
   • collaborate on something
   • collaborate to do something

   The two companies collaborated on a new software project.

   Scientists from different countries collaborate to solve global problems.

   She collaborated with a local artist to create the mural.

2. 2verbintransitivedisapproving

   To cooperate with an enemy force that occupies one's country.

   Grammar: No object; often used with with: collaborate with the enemy.

   Patterns

   • collaborate with the enemy
   • collaborate with the occupiers

   During the war, some officials were accused of collaborating with the enemy.

   He was punished for collaborating with the occupying forces.

Word forms

Common combinations

collaborate with

The university collaborates with industry leaders on research.

collaborate on a project

We are collaborating on a project to improve public transport.

collaborate closely

The two teams collaborated closely to meet the deadline.

Synonyms and how they differ

cooperate

Cooperate means to work together helpfully; it often suggests less close involvement than collaborate.

work together

A more general phrase; collaborate is more formal and often implies a joint creative or intellectual effort.

Opposites

Word family

collaboration noun

The act of working together.

collaborative adjective

Involving people working together.

collaborator noun

A person who works with others, or (disapproving) one who helps an enemy.

Commonly confused: collaborate or corroborate?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “collaborate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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