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
Derived Forms
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contributivenessnoun
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noncontributivenessnoun
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uncontributivenessnoun
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overcontributeverb
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precontributeverb (used with object)
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contributableadjective
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contributiveadjective
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noncontributableadjective
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noncontributingadjective
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noncontributiveadjective
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uncontributedadjective
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uncontributingadjective
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uncontributiveadjective
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contributivelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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contributesimple
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contributessimple
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have contributedperfect
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has contributedperfect
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am contributingprogressive
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are contributingprogressive
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is contributingprogressive
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have been contributingperfect progressive
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has been contributingperfect progressive
Past
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contributedsimple
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had contributedperfect
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was contributingprogressive
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were contributingprogressive
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had been contributingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of contribute
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin contribūtus, past participle of contribuēre “to bring together”; see origin at 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.
See Examples For:
Then they must decide what to invest in and what share of their salary to contribute.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Sam hopes his idea can contribute more broadly to conservation efforts.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
The procedures remove plaque below the gumline and disrupt bacterial biofilms that contribute to gum inflammation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Experts say the age of pipes, the corrosive soil they’re buried in and pressure changes in pipes that send water to hillside neighborhoods all contribute to breaks across the aging system.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
The groundswell for change that had begun in Greensboro in 1960 had spread throughout America, and Fuller ached to contribute to this struggle.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
The second partner’s employer matches the first 6% contributed but at a 50% rate, or up to a total of 3% if the worker contributes at least 6%.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
In both scenarios, the couple contributes $480, but in the second scenario they get $30 per month more in savings.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
While Justin Vernon of Bon Iver contributes writing and production to several tracks, the dreamier aesthetic of his own records is nowhere to be found.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
"Persistent dominance of defender macrophages can create a prolonged inflammatory environment that contributes to post-traumatic osteoarthritis."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
Coal plants are also a major producer of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
Lord Mann, the UK government's independent adviser on antisemitism, called for a "clear, calm and methodical" approach to tackling anti-Jewish hatred, warning that governments which avoidede their responsibilities contributed to the problem.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
The second partner’s employer matches the first 6% contributed but at a 50% rate, or up to a total of 3% if the worker contributes at least 6%.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Times staff writers Malia Mendez and Jessica Gelt contributed to this report.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
It said such devices contributed to higher atmospheric pollution of nitrogen oxides that are suspected of "provoking the development of respiratory diseases in humans".
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Altogether, they had eleven dollars and fifty cents, more than any one of them had ever had at one time before, even Dicey, who contributed all of her baby-sitting money, seven dollars.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
Fat accumulation in the liver may also have impaired the ability of pancreatic beta cells to release insulin, contributing to higher blood sugar levels in people in cluster 5.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
It’s possible to save even more by contributing up to an additional $7,500 to an IRA, a limit that rises to $8,600 for workers 50 and older.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Before joining the Times, she was a contributing writer to Time magazine and a correspondent for the Economist.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
The gash on her forehead was determined to be superficial and not a contributing factor in her death.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Dorothy was proud of the way she had navigated through the days of racial segregation, proud of whatever small share she might claim in contributing to the demise of that backward practice.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
