contribute
Americanverb (used with object)
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contributes,
present (3rd person singular)
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contributed,
past participle, past
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contributing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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contributes,
present (3rd person singular)
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contributed,
past participle, past
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contributing
present participle
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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:
Their findings suggest that polyethylene microplastics may contribute to fatty liver disease, particularly when exposure occurs alongside an unhealthy diet.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026
What they can contribute moving forward remains to be seen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
Currently, workers and employers each contribute 6.2%, while self-employed workers pay the entire 12.4%.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
“The storm won’t contribute much to lost cooling demand due to temperatures already being relatively comfortable,” the forecaster adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Arriving in Washington with the same sort of desire and energy to contribute, though, she’d been roundly spurned, pilloried for taking on a policy role in the White House’s work on health-care reform.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
The calendar raised over $36,000 for the Aubuchon Foundation, which contributes to animal shelters, rescue groups and other community organizations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
The province has the highest GDP per capita in the country, and it contributes billions a year to the federal tax pool because of its strong economy.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
The resulting map showed patterns of gene activity across the different cells that create and support the brain's vascular system, giving researchers a detailed way to examine how APOE4 contributes to vascular degeneration.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
Emissions aren’t directly regulated yet for the sector, which contributes about 26% of the state’s methane pollution.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 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
Researchers from MD Anderson Cancer Center and the AI-powered drug discovery platform Deep Origin contributed to the study.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
Families alleged inadequate care at the facility contributed to their relatives’ deaths.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
Shirt prices have increased significantly over the past decade, though industry experts argue advances in technology and expensive kit deals with elite clubs have contributed to the rise.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
"When we're able to maintain the same body weight and observe what happened in the body, we can directly isolate what physical exercise contributed to before weight loss," Moura explains.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
The Fertile Crescent’s biological diversity over small distances contributed to a fourth advantage—its wealth in ancestors not only of valuable crops but also of domesticated big mammals.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
These accompanying symptoms raised the possibility that inflammation could be contributing to the changes, rather than the hair loss being explained entirely by rapid weight reduction.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
David Ruisard, pricing manager for commodities intelligence firm Argus says the ongoing Russian war with Ukraine has also impacted oil supplies, contributing to higher fuel prices.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Also contributing to the flood risk is the arrival of a Kelvin wave, another feature of El Niño that can raise sea levels by 6 to 12 inches.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
Feng pointed out that as the AI boom accelerated, his firm was able to actively hire new AI talent during performance dips for the industry, leading to “prolific model development” currently contributing to outperformance.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
In 2015, only 11.1 percent was born in Europe, contributing to the creation of a new face of America.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
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.
