What does "cooperate" mean?

1. (to work together) to work with other people to reach a common goal or finish a task. 2. (to be helpful) to do what someone asks you to do, especially an official or a person in charge. 3. (to function in harmony) when things work well together to produce a good result. 4. (to turn a witness) to persuade someone to help the police or a court, usually by offering them a deal.

How do you use "cooperate"?

Usually followed by the preposition 'with' for people and 'on' for tasks. Often used in the context of police investigations or following rules. In this specific legal sense, the verb is used transitively.

cooperate

US //ˈkwɑpɝˌeɪt// UK //kəʊˈɒpəɹˌeɪt// co·op·er·ate

1 to work together (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to work with other people to reach a common goal or finish a task.

to act or work jointly with others for a mutual benefit or common purpose.

Example

The two companies decided to cooperate on a new project to build electric cars.

Example

Local authorities and environmental groups must cooperate closely if they hope to restore the river's ecosystem within the next decade.

Usage

Usually followed by the preposition 'with' for people and 'on' for tasks.
- collaborate
- team up
- unite
- compete
- oppose
2 to be helpful (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to do what someone asks you to do, especially an official or a person in charge.

to comply with the requests or instructions of others, particularly those in authority.

Example

The witness agreed to cooperate with the police and told them everything she saw.

Example

Despite initial hesitation, the suspect eventually chose to cooperate fully with the investigation in exchange for a reduced sentence.

Usage

Often used in the context of police investigations or following rules.
- resist
- defy

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3 to function in harmony (v.)
C1 Advanced Literary

when things work well together to produce a good result.

to function or operate in harmony; used of inanimate objects or abstract forces that align to produce a specific outcome.

Example

The weather did not cooperate, and our outdoor party was ruined by rain.

Example

For the experiment to succeed, every variable must cooperate perfectly, as even a minor fluctuation in temperature could invalidate the results.
- align
- harmonise
- clash
4 to turn a witness (v.)
C2 Proficiency Technical American English Law

to persuade someone to help the police or a court, usually by offering them a deal.

to obtain the formal assistance of a potential witness, often by offering legal incentives.

Example

The prosecutor spent months trying to cooperate the driver of the getaway car.

Example

Federal agents successfully cooperated the lead accountant, whose testimony provided the evidence needed to dismantle the entire criminal enterprise.

Usage

In this specific legal sense, the verb is used transitively.
- flip

Origin

Originated 1595–1605 from Late Latin cooperātus, perfect passive participle of cooperor (“to work with”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more. Equivalent to co- + operate. Displaced native Old English efnwyrċan.