# coordinating

/koʊˈɔɹdəˌneɪtɪŋ/ (US) · /kəʊˈɔːdɪnˌeɪtɪŋ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. organising people or tasks

verb · CEFR B2

organising different people or groups so they work together effectively.

For teachers: organising different elements of a complex activity or organisation so as to enable them to work together effectively.

- She is coordinating the volunteers for the charity event this weekend.
- Coordinating the logistics for a global summit requires meticulous attention to detail and constant communication across multiple time zones.

Usage: Often used with 'with' when referring to other people or departments.

### 2. matching items

verb · CEFR B2

making different things, like clothes or furniture, look good together.

For teachers: bringing different elements into a harmonious or efficient relationship, particularly regarding aesthetics or physical movement.

- He spent the morning coordinating his tie with his new suit.
- The interior designer focused on coordinating the textures of the upholstery with the natural grain of the wooden flooring.

### 3. linking equal parts

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

used to describe words that connect two equal parts of a sentence, like 'and' or 'but'.

For teachers: relating to a conjunction that joins two words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical rank.

- In the sentence 'I like tea and he likes coffee', 'and' is a coordinating conjunction.
- Students often struggle to distinguish between coordinating conjunctions and subordinating ones when first learning complex sentence structures.

Usage: Almost exclusively used in the phrase 'coordinating conjunction'.

## Examples

- She is coordinating the meeting for next week.
- The project manager is coordinating the efforts of the design and engineering teams to ensure a smooth launch.
- Successfully coordinating a global relief effort requires balancing local logistical constraints with the high-level strategic goals of international donors and government agencies.

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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.