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Synonyms

contribute

American

[kuhn-trib-yoot] / kənˈtrɪb jut /

verb (used with object)

to give (money, time, knowledge, assistance, etc.) to a common supply, fund, etc., as for charitable purposes.

Synonyms:

donate, furnish, provide
to furnish (an original written work, drawing, etc.) for publication.

to contribute stories to a magazine.

verb (used without object)

to give to a common supply, fund, etc..

He contributes to many charities.
to furnish written works, drawings, etc., for publication.

Our thanks to those who contributed to our alumni newsletter.
to be an important factor; help to cause something.

A sudden downpour contributed to the traffic jam.

contribute British

/ kənˈtrɪbjuːt /

verb

to give (support, money, etc) for a common purpose or fund
to supply (ideas, opinions, etc) as part of a debate or discussion
(intr) to be partly instrumental (in) or responsible (for)

drink contributed to the accident
to write (articles) for a publication

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing contribute

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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:

contribute contributes contributed contributing

The government previously identified, external that "nutrients from outside the bay, run-off from streams that contain fertiliser and treated waste water from the water treatment works' all normally contribute to the growth of sea lettuce".

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

While Adyen hadn’t formally upgraded guidance, it had disclosed the Talon.One and Orb deals would contribute to its top-line growth, he adds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

New research from the University of East Anglia and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital suggests that something as simple as choosing the stairs could contribute to a longer life.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026

Factors that may contribute to loss of visas include criminal activity, past immigration violations and national security concerns.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

The conversation turned into a debate about crunchy versus soggy bacon, but I was too preoccupied with replaying that paper dissolving right in front of my eyes to contribute.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Critics have argued that this growing array of services contributes to rising college costs and an emphasis on comforts and conveniences rather than educational value.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

The Almaraz plant, which contributes around seven percent of Spain's electricity production, is a key source of industry and employment in mostly rural, depopulated Extremadura.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

The findings suggest that this immune remodeling begins in midlife and may help explain how aging contributes to the long lasting brain inflammation often seen in neurodegenerative diseases.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

Romanticizing extreme thinness contributes to eating disorders, which can do serious damage to the health of sufferers.

From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026

“It’s the toluene. Toluene is colorless, but it’s used to dissolve and suspend the pigments in the polish, and helps the polish stick to the nail. It also contributes to its glossiness once it dries.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

The European Union on Saturday said the restrictions had "contributed to an uneven playing field" in the vote.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

"I've contributed to research articles, data collection... all of my work stems down to education."

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

In Chaminade’s 38-9 win over Leilehua in Wahiawa, sophomore quarterback Jeremy Mellalieu threw two touchdown passes to Andrew Cordero while Jaxson Dillard returned an interception for a touchdown and contributed six tackles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Governments in Canada contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to Stellantis to help modernize its factories in Brampton and Windsor, Ontario.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Not just about the rent situation, although that contributed.

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner

"The longitudinal exploration of cardiovascular health throughout life, rather than assessing it at a single time point, could also provide further insight into the trajectory phenotypes contributing to cognitive decline by ethnicity," Vazquez said.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

Even as vacationers become more thrifty, inflation is still contributing to bigger trip budgets this year.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

Around Europe, sea surface temperatures in July reached record highs along the Atlantic coast and in the western Mediterranean, contributing to widespread strong and severe marine heatwaves.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Eventually, he said, he was contributing weekly columns to Sp!ts, a free commuter newspaper in Amsterdam, chronicling his growing infatuation with the sport.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

And contributing to the sour mood at Camp Two were disturbing snippets of news we received about Ngawang Topche’s worsening condition.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023