collaborate

[kuh-lab-uh-reyt]

verb (used without object)

collaborated, collaborating 

1. to work, one with another; cooperate, as on a literary work.

   They collaborated on a novel.

2. to cooperate with an enemy nation, especially with an enemy occupying one's country.

   He collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.

   Synonyms: abet, assist, join, collude

collaborate

/ kəˈlæbəˌreɪt /

verb

1. to work with another or others on a joint project

2. to cooperate as a traitor, esp with an enemy occupying one's own country

Other Word Forms

• collaborator noun
• collaborative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of collaborate¹

First recorded in 1870–75; from Late Latin collabōrātus (past participle of collabōrāre), equivalent to col- col- ¹ + labor “work” + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of collaborate¹

C19: from Late Latin collabōrāre, from Latin com- together + labōrāre to work

Example Sentences

Researchers from other disciplines — such as engineers and materials scientists who build semiconductors — are able to freely communicate and collaborate with his team.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Humans have gone from doing all the grinding, welding, machine-operating and parts-moving to overseeing and collaborating with robots who take on the bulk of the tasks.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

The American Academy of Pediatrics had already been working on its own evidence review when it started collaborating with the Vaccine Integrity Project.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

AI is also being explored for use in online patient communities to help members better analyze their own data, find the right care and collaborate more effectively.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Carolina Liar collaborated with Martin on two albums, yielding songs that appeared in popular shows like “The Hills” and “One Tree Hill.”

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• collude 
• conspire 
• cooperate 
• hook up 
• participate 

When To Use

What does collaborate mean?

Collaborate means to work together, especially on a goal or shared project.Collaborate is often used in a positive context to refer to two or more parties successfully working together on professional or artistic projects. It often implies more than just cooperation. When two or more people collaborate, they often share and develop each other’s ideas.The act of collaborating is called collaboration. Such a joint effort can be described with the adjective collaborative. People who collaborate are called collaborators.Collaborate can also be used in a much more specific way meaning to cooperate as a traitor with enemy forces in one’s own country. This is much less commonly used than its general sense.Example: The two musicians, who usually have very different styles, collaborated on the groundbreaking new album.