contribute
Americanverb (used with object)
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contributes,
present (3rd person singular)
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contributed,
past participle, past
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contributing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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contributes,
present (3rd person singular)
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contributed,
past participle, past
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contributing
present participle
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to give to a common supply, fund, etc..
He contributes to many charities.
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to furnish written works, drawings, etc., for publication.
Our thanks to those who contributed to our alumni newsletter.
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to be an important factor; help to cause something.
A sudden downpour contributed to the traffic jam.
verb
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to give (support, money, etc) for a common purpose or fund
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to supply (ideas, opinions, etc) as part of a debate or discussion
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(intr) to be partly instrumental (in) or responsible (for)
drink contributed to the accident
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to write (articles) for a publication
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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contributivenessnoun
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noncontributivenessnoun
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uncontributivenessnoun
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overcontributeverb
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precontributeverb (used with object)
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contributableadjective
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contributiveadjective
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noncontributableadjective
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noncontributingadjective
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noncontributiveadjective
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uncontributedadjective
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uncontributingadjective
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uncontributiveadjective
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contributivelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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contributesimple
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contributessimple
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have contributedperfect
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has contributedperfect
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am contributingprogressive
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are contributingprogressive
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is contributingprogressive
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have been contributingperfect progressive
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has been contributingperfect progressive
Past
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contributedsimple
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had contributedperfect
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was contributingprogressive
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were contributingprogressive
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had been contributingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of contribute
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin contribūtus, past participle of contribuēre “to bring together”; see origin at con-, tribute
Explanation
To contribute something is to provide a part of the whole. When your company has their annual softball game and potluck picnic, you will probably be asked to contribute a dish, like your famous macaroni salad. Contribute comes from a Latin word that means “to bring together, add, or unite.” When you contribute to a cause, you are adding to what other people have kicked in, which makes the effort complete. You can contribute your singing talent to a traveling a cappella group; you can contribute money or time to save rhinoceroses; you can contribute cupcakes to the gymnastics team bake sale; or you can even contribute ideas on healthcare reform to a Washington think tank.
Vocabulary lists containing contribute
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade 11)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Everyone’s here for a reason. … Everyone knows about Omarion and Keaton. I think all guys can contribute at some point during the season.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
When gene activation goes wrong, cells can malfunction and contribute to diseases, including cancer.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
Because GLP-1 drugs reduce appetite and food intake, they may also contribute to nutritional deficiencies and loss of muscle, potentially increasing the risk of frailty and other long-term health issues.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
Irving calls this decade a time to continue to contribute, and he’s living that credo.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 23, 2026
And freedom is only the right to contribute.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
One familiar example is the decline in ovarian function that contributes to the biological clock associated with female fertility.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
The Trojans are expected to play several freshmen against San José State on Saturday, and anyone who knows Boobie will tell you it’s only a matter of time before he contributes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
Taken together, the analyst say this contributes to an improving free cash flow profile and “highlights CJT’s healthy FCF growth potential.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
The Almaraz plant, which contributes around seven percent of Spain's electricity production, is a key source of industry and employment in mostly rural, depopulated Extremadura.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
“No one really starts anything new, Mrs. Nemur. Everyone builds on other men’s failures. There is nothing really original in science. What each man contributes to the sum of knowledge is what counts.”
From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes
Concerns about runaway capital spending spread across the sector after Alphabet’s and Tesla’s results, driving a $890 billion wipeout that contributed to the unwind of hedge fund Situational Awareness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Special correspondnet Cecilia Sánchez Vidal contributed to this report.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
Mukhopadhyay says the #FixTheSchool campaign is an obvious next step and "the way people have contributed with videos, pointing out flaws in school infrastructure, is evidence that the movement is gaining ground".
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
So for example, even if the limit is $7,500 for the year, if the child only earned $2,000 that year, only $2,000 can be contributed to the account.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
“I am afraid,” returned Emma, sighing, “that I must often have contributed to make her unhappy.”
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
As people get older, those connections can weaken, contributing to slower thinking and declines in memory.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
Shein wrote that it has drawn attention for the “quality, durability and chemical use” of its goods and has been criticized for operations contributing to “pollution, deforestation and forest degradation.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
South Korea said Monday that it was in discussions with the U.S. about contributing in Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
The sheer number of guns in circulation, endemic corruption, lax enforcement of laws in all walks of life, the glorification of guns and a decades-long military culture are all contributing factors.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The chimneys were contributing their thickness to the clammy air, and the pleasant reek of smoked herring and mackerel and haddock seemed to breathe out of the very cobbles.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
