Collaborate
verb /kəˈlæbəreɪt/ — To work with others toward a shared goal.
Definition
To work jointly with others, especially in an intellectual or creative endeavour.
Beyond the definition
Collaboration isn't just working alongside someone — it's genuinely combining efforts, skills, and ideas. The best collaborations produce something neither person could have made alone. It's one of the most valued words in modern workplaces.
Origin & history
From Latin collaborare — to labour together (col- 'together' + laborare 'to work').
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The two teams collaborated across time zones to deliver the project.
She collaborated with a composer to write the score for her short film.
Collaboration requires trust — you have to be willing to share credit.
How to use it
This entry uses a verb. Follow the examples for tense and any objects or prepositions it needs.
Choose “Collaborate” when the meaning fits your context: To work jointly with others, especially in an intellectual or creative endeavour.
Synonyms
work together, cooperate, partner, join forces, team up
Antonyms
compete, work alone, oppose
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Building Model Bridge Together
Three unnamed adults build a model bridge together, each contributing different wooden pieces to interlock into a single supported structure.
The act of working jointly on the bridge illustrates collaboration. By consulting the diagram and contributing unique pieces, the adults are engaged in an intellectual and creative endeavor that requires mutual cooperation to achieve a shared, unified goal.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Collaborate" mean?
Collaborate is verb meaning: To work with others toward a shared goal.. To work jointly with others, especially in an intellectual or creative endeavour.
Where does the word "Collaborate" come from?
From Latin collaborare — to labour together (col- 'together' + laborare 'to work').