ENGLISH
REFERENCE

contribute

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //kənˈtɹɪbjut// UK //kˈɒntɹɪbjˌuːt// con·trib·ute Academic General-service

v. to give something, like money, time, or ideas, to help a group or a project succeed. You use this when you play a part in making something happen.

v. to give or supply something in common with others; to play a significant role in bringing about a specific result. Transitive when providing a specific resource, but often used intransitively with the preposition 'to'.


SIMPLE

Many people contribute money to the local charity.

CONTEXTUAL

The lead researcher asked every team member to contribute their findings to the final report by Friday.

COMPLEX

While individual lifestyle changes are helpful, systemic policy shifts contribute far more significantly to the long-term reduction of carbon emissions across the industrial sector.

Synonyms
Origin

PIE word *tréyes From Latin contribūtus, perfect passive participle of contribuō (“to bring together; to unite”), from con- (“together”) + tribuō (“to bestow”), from tribus (“tribe”), derived from trēs (“three”), from Proto-Italic trēs, from Proto-Indo-European tréyes.

Usage

The verb is often followed by the preposition 'to' when indicating the recipient or the final result.

Pitfall

He contributed for the projectHe contributed to the projectContribute takes the preposition 'to' when describing the goal or project being helped.

© 2026 English Reference