communicate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to impart knowledge of; make known.
to communicate information;
to communicate one's happiness.
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to give to another; impart; transmit.
to communicate a disease.
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to administer the Eucharist to.
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Archaic. to share in or partake of.
verb (used without object)
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to give or interchange thoughts, feelings, information, or the like, by writing, speaking, etc..
They communicate with each other every day.
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to express thoughts, feelings, or information easily or effectively.
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to be joined or connected.
The rooms communicated by means of a hallway.
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to partake of the Eucharist.
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Obsolete. to take part or participate.
verb
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to impart (knowledge) or exchange (thoughts, feelings, or ideas) by speech, writing, gestures, etc
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to allow (a feeling, emotion, etc) to be sensed (by), willingly or unwillingly; transmit (to)
the dog communicated his fear to the other animals
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(intr) to have a sympathetic mutual understanding
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to make or have a connecting passage or route; connect
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(tr) to transmit (a disease); infect
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(intr) Christianity to receive or administer Communion
Related Words
Communicate, impart denote giving to a person or thing a part or share of something, now usually something immaterial, as knowledge, thoughts, hopes, qualities, or properties. Communicate, the more common word, implies often an indirect or gradual transmission: to communicate information by means of letters, telegrams, etc.; to communicate one's wishes to someone else. Impart usually implies directness of action: to impart information.
Other Word Forms
- communicator noun
- communicatory adjective
- noncommunicating adjective
- overcommunicate verb
- precommunicate verb
- uncommunicating adjective
- well-communicated adjective
Etymology
Origin of communicate
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin commūnicātus “imparted,” past participle of commūnicāre “to impart, make common,” equivalent to commūn(is) common + -icāre, verb suffix
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.
A number of qualifications will be considered, the airline said, including "the ability to communicate in French".
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
Most private student lenders use the same back-end technology to communicate information about their loans between schools, servicers and other stakeholders.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
"The Board will consider a number of performance criteria in assessing candidates including the ability to communicate in French," Air Canada said in the statement.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
Krusek says what makes the show compelling “is the spirit of the videos, just the sense of joyousness and benevolence that they communicate, and a real sense of reverence for the art and the artists.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Howie Hubler was taking a huge risk, even if he failed to communicate it or, perhaps, understand it.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
