contribute

- definition

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Thesaurus

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verb

British English pronunciation: contribute

/kənˈtrɪbjuːt/

present tense
I/you/we/they	contribute
he/she/it	contributes
present participle	contributing
past tense	contributed
past participle	contributed

Get It Right!

1
[intransitive/transitive] to give money, goods, or your time and effort in order to achieve something, especially when other people are also helping
contribute to:
Many local businesses offered to contribute to the school rebuilding fund.
contribute something to/towards something:
He promised to contribute £5,000 towards the cost of the lawsuit.
The UK will contribute 8,000 troops to the NATO operation.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of contribute
2
[intransitive/transitive] to be a part of a group or an activity and help it to be successful
contribute something to something:
Davis didn't really contribute much to the game in the second half.
have a lot/much/nothing to contribute:
He felt he had nothing to contribute to the discussion.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of contribute
3
[intransitive] to be one of the things that help to make something happen
contribute to:
The scandal certainly contributed to their defeat at the last election.
contributing factor (=one of the things that causes something):
Speed is a contributing factor in many road accidents.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of contribute
4
[intransitive/transitive] to write stories or articles for a newspaper or magazine
contribute something to something:
She continued to contribute articles to sports magazines.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of contribute

Get It Right!: contribute

Get it right: contribute

Don't use a verb in the infinitive after contribute. Use the pattern contribute to doing something:

✗ Technology has contributed to improve our lives.

✓ Technology has contributed to improving our lives.

✗ A positive aspect of education is that it contributes to confirm one's identity.

✓ A positive aspect of education is that it contributes to confirming one's identity.

You can also use the pattern contribute to something:

Technology has contributed to improvements in our lives.

This is the British English definition of contribute. View American English definition of contribute.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

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