cooperate
Americanverb (used without object)
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to work or act together or jointly for a common purpose or benefit.
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to work or act with another or other persons willingly and agreeably.
- Synonyms:
- participate, join, collaborate
-
to practice economic cooperation.
verb
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to work or act together
-
to be of assistance or be willing to assist
-
economics (of firms, workers, consumers, etc) to engage in economic cooperation
Other Word Forms
- co-operator noun
- cooperator noun
- uncooperating adjective
Etymology
Origin of cooperate
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Late Latin cooperātus, past participle of cooperārī “to work with”; co-, operate
Explanation
When you cooperate, you work together. You can cooperate with the police by telling them everything you know about your neighbor’s pet leopard, or your preschooler can cooperate with you by doing everything you tell him to do, now! The verb cooperate is originally from the combination of The Latin prefix co-, meaning “together,” and operari, meaning “to work.” The term “co-op” is a shortening of cooperative and is used when people work together (or cooperate) to run a preschool, health food store, or a residence. When you start or join a co-op, be prepared to cooperate with your partners, and remember: somebody has to clean the bathrooms.
Vocabulary lists containing cooperate
UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #1
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Divergent
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Chapter 28: The Cold War Era
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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.
She urged “all tribespeople and villagers” to cooperate with the military and law enforcement.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
Al-Nourji, who seemed eager to cooperate, led the family to the street corner where he met Ashaal.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
The one who wondered whether her body would ever cooperate with her longing.
From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026
“Will the federal government or other states cooperate with that? I think the answer to that is sort of iffy,” said Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University in Virginia.
From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026
Separate groups seldom cooperate, and tend to compete for territory and food.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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.
