# collaborative

/kəˈɫæbɝˌeɪtɪv/ (US) · /kəlˈæbɹətˌɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/collaborative
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. working together

adjective · CEFR B2 · Academic

involving two or more people or groups working together to achieve something.

For teachers: produced by or involving two or more parties working together toward a common goal.

- The final report was a collaborative effort between the marketing and sales teams.
- The research paper was the result of a collaborative project involving three international universities and several private laboratories.

Usage: Often used with nouns like 'effort', 'project', 'approach', or 'environment'.

### 2. a cooperative group

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Academic

a group of people or companies that work together on a specific project.

For teachers: a cooperative arrangement or an organized group of individuals or entities collaborating toward a specific objective.

- The artists formed a collaborative to share studio space and gallery costs.
- The regional healthcare collaborative was established to streamline patient data sharing across several independent hospital networks.

Teaching tip: While the adjective is common at B2, the noun use is more specialized and often found in professional or artistic contexts.

## Examples

- The team finished the project through collaborative effort.
- The new office layout is designed to encourage collaborative work between the design and engineering departments.
- The success of the international space station remains a testament to collaborative diplomacy, proving that shared scientific goals can transcend national borders and political friction.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.