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Synonyms

teamwork

American  
[teem-wurk] / ˈtimˌwɜrk /

noun

  1. cooperative or coordinated effort on the part of a group of persons acting together as a team or in the interests of a common cause.

  2. work done with a team.


teamwork British  
/ ˈtiːmˌwɜːk /

noun

  1. the cooperative work done by a team

  2. the ability to work efficiently as a team

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of teamwork

First recorded in 1820–30; team + work

Explanation

Winning the World Cup takes some serious teamwork or coordinated effort of each player. Break teamwork apart and you've got the definition: a team that works well together is one that's exhibiting teamwork. Teamwork is not just for sports. Business people working on a large project, a crew of pilots working to land a plane, or a naval ship full of marines all need teamwork. Each person plays their part to help achieve a larger goal. Often people refer to teamwork as a skill. When you work well in teams, you have great teamwork skills.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing teamwork

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:

But if they are also the person who makes meetings less painful and teamwork less frustrating, they might have a better chance at nabbing that job.

From MarketWatch Aug. 13, 2026

To better understand how those conditions shape teamwork, an international research group studied a ten-month overwintering mission at Concordia Station in Antarctica.

From Science Daily Aug. 7, 2026

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, many leaders claimed that effective teamwork required remote workers to return to their cubicles.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 23, 2026

Her pitch to voters drew heavily on her sporting success, with references to "winning and losing", teamwork and performance featuring prominently in her manifesto.

From BBC Jun. 8, 2026

So right away I knew we had a teacher who was into teamwork and who probably didn’t mind a little talking—otherwise, we would have been in old-fashioned rows.

From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea

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