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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

“I want to make money and I want to contribute to the family, but there’s literally no way I can do that. I can’t even keep the house in order,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

“This is Airbnb asking the question of how it can use its balance sheet and the resources available to it to contribute to improving housing affordability,” Hornung said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

"Many factors can contribute to a patient grinding their teeth, so addressing the condition requires a multidisciplinary approach."

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

There may be dust storms, which contribute to “playa lung” — a term Burners have coined to describe a cough or losing one’s voice after breathing in dust daily.

From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026

Because fathers don’t contribute mitochondrial DNA to the embryo, the succession occurs only through the female line.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Perhaps their focus on health contributes to the generation being less inclined to suffer through such extreme conditions.

From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026

Nepal, a largely rural nation of 30 million people, contributes a fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions compared to industrialised nations.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

Scientists are still working out exactly how much each factor contributes, but the result is clear: the background climate in which British weather happens is getting warmer.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

“Curbing yen weakness helps correct dollar strength and contributes to reducing the U.S. trade deficit,” said Kiuchi, a former BOJ policy board member.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

In addition, food production contributes in at least three ways to specific features of complex societies.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Between them they yielded eight and a half points, compared with five contributed by America's three captain's picks.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

The medical-loss ratio has also contributed to higher drug costs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

Dubai is home to a large Iranian community, estimated at several hundred thousand people, which has contributed to the emirate's commercial development and weathered the various periods of tension with Tehran.

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

The Aztecs return their starting tailback from last season, Lucky Sutton, who rushed for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns, and added three running backs who contributed against Portland State.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026

Instead of the densely wooded wilderness Europeans depicted in literature and art, the real American landscape included cornfields, berry patches, and groves of nut trees that contributed to the food supply.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Australian scientists believe increasingly crowded waters and rising ocean temperatures are shifting sharks' migratory patterns, which may be contributing to a rise in attacks.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

She began cooking everything from scratch after realizing that eating highly processed foods was contributing to her eczema flare-ups.

From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026

The collision is thought to have thrown enormous amounts of dust and debris into the atmosphere, reducing sunlight and contributing to a dramatic period of cooling known as an impact winter.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

Concerns about the outcome of the midterms that will determine control of Congress, coupled with September’s well-earned reputation as a rough month for investors, were also contributing to investors’ defensive mood.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

He wouldn’t disclose anything to Laila about their destination except to say that, with it, he was contributing to her education.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

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