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Synonyms

team

American  
[teem] / tim /

noun

  1. a number of persons forming one of the sides in a game or contest.

    a football team.

  2. a number of persons associated in some joint action.

    a team of advisers.

  3. two or more horses, oxen, or other animals harnessed together to draw a vehicle, plow, or the like.

  4. one or more draft animals together with the harness and vehicle drawn.

  5. a family of young animals, especially ducks or pigs.

  6. Obsolete. offspring or progeny; lineage or stock.


verb (used with object)

teams, present (3rd person singular) teamed, past participle, past teaming present participle
  1. to join together in a team.

  2. Chiefly Northern U.S. Older Use. to convey or transport by means of a team; haul.

verb (used without object)

teams, present (3rd person singular) teamed, past participle, past teaming present participle
  1. to drive a team.

  2. to gather or join in a team, a band, or a cooperative effort (usually followed by up, together, etc.).

    Synonyms:
    merge, ally, unite, combine

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or performed by a team.

    a team sport; team effort.

team British  
/ tiːm /

noun

  1. a group of people organized to work together

  2. a group of players forming one of the sides in a sporting contest

  3. two or more animals working together to pull a vehicle or agricultural implement

  4. such animals and the vehicle

    the coachman riding his team

  5. dialect a flock, herd, or brood

  6. obsolete ancestry

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to make or cause to make a team

    he teamed George with Robert

  2. (tr) to drag or transport in or by a team

  3. (intr) to drive a team

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Grammar

See collective noun.

Usage

What does team mean? A team is a group of people who work together in a joint action, as in Our Academic Decathlon team was made up of some of the smartest kids in our school. A team is also a group of people on one side of a contest or game, such as a soccer team or a trivia team. A team is also two or more draft animals, such as horses, harnessed together to pull something, like a plow or a cart. To team up is to form a group to work together, as in Miles and Lex teamed up to study for the big science test next month. Example: My team is working hard on these software solutions for streaming platforms.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of team

First recorded before 900; Middle English teme (noun), Old English tēam “child-bearing, brood, offspring, set of draft beasts”; cognate with Dutch toom “bridle, reins,” German Zaum, Old Norse taumr

Explanation

If you're part of a frisbee team, you're part of a group of people who cooperate to throw a plastic disc around. It's neat. Two or more of people working together on a single task can be called a team, whether that's an informal team or a professional one. The two horses that pull your carriage are a team, and the guys you play soccer with on Saturday mornings are also a team. Team can also be a verb, meaning "to join forces." If you want to beautify your town, team up with local people to paint a mural for the community.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing team

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.

It’s the latest concept from a husband-and-wife team on a mission to amp up airport downtime.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

The team is now pursuing several follow-up studies.

From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026

In Scotland, there will be a one-off national Bank Holiday on 15 June to celebrate the national team playing in its first World Cup since 1998.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

The Iranian football federation said Tuesday that its allocation of tickets for supporters had been revoked and some team support staff were denied visas.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

It was part of his life and if he could obey the one drive, the drive to be in the team and pull, then nothing else mattered.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

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