contribute
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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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
- contributable adjective
- contributive adjective
- contributively adverb
- contributiveness noun
- noncontributable adjective
- noncontributing adjective
- noncontributive adjective
- noncontributiveness noun
- overcontribute verb
- precontribute verb (used with object)
- uncontributed adjective
- uncontributing adjective
- uncontributive adjective
- uncontributiveness noun
Etymology
Origin of contribute
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin contribūtus, past participle of contribuēre “to bring together”; 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.
Google also said its engineers are continuing to train Gemini to recognize conversations that signal a user in distress and that it would contribute $30 million to global crisis-support hotlines.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
"The most false part of it all is the claim that there are glaciers that do not contribute to rivers. If it's a glacier, it has ice and contributes water. It's very basic," he says.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
You cannot contribute more than your income in any given year.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026
Some may contribute to cancer development, while others have no effect at all.
From Science Daily • Apr. 9, 2026
The real questions were: How was I going to contribute to that progress, and wasn't there a way to speed it up?
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
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.
