contribute

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "contribute" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are expressing that someone is adding to a discussion, activity, or organization. Example: John decided to contribute his time to help with the local charity organization.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

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The Guardian

Most immigrants contribute to society, most want to become good British citizens and most strike me as more like us with every rainy day that passes.

The Guardian

Email [email protected] if you want to contribute an article to this debate.

The Guardian

He said the "worst case scenario" for 2100 was that ice sheets would contribute an additional 70cm to the sea level rise caused by the warming of the ocean.

The Guardian

Graduates who earn more will repay more each month, so the system is fair and affordable; and those who enter a more lucrative profession will pay a higher rate of interest, and ultimately contribute more to the cost of their university education.

The Guardian

The company says it is looking for people with a Tefl (teaching English as a foreign language) qualification or a background in tourism management, "who can contribute positively to growing the country's tourism industry".

The Guardian

"We asked early on … whether other countries would contribute money.

The Guardian

Yet we still haven't heard from our political leaders about how they think letting Assad get away with what he is doing will contribute to any decent outcome, or to prevent more terrorist acts taking place in Europe.

The Guardian - Opinion

On Wednesday, 29 public sector unions representing 2.6m workers, are staging a mass strike in protest at aphalanx of proposed changes to pension schemes which, they say, will mean their members have to contribute more and work longer for a worse deal at the end.

The Guardian

The party has asked American supporters to contribute up to $400 £208.766) to its electoral war chest to attend a fundraising dinner in downtown Washington on April 21.

The Guardian

He believes Torres can add something to his side, that he still has much to contribute.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "contribute", be specific about what is being contributed. For example, instead of saying "He contributed to the project", specify "He contributed his expertise to the project".

Common error

Avoid using "contribute" without specifying the recipient or purpose. For instance, instead of saying "I want to contribute", clarify with "I want to contribute to the charity fund".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "contribute" is as a verb. It signifies the act of giving or supplying something, be it effort, resources, or ideas, to a common purpose. Ludwig examples show it used in diverse contexts, reinforcing its role as an action word.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "contribute" is a grammatically correct and versatile verb, commonly used to express the act of giving or adding something to a larger whole. Ludwig AI confirms its usability across diverse contexts. As shown by Ludwig's examples, it frequently appears in "News & Media" and "Formal & Business" settings. Related phrases include "add to", "chip in", and "play a part in", each with slightly different connotations. Best practices involve being specific about the contribution, while common errors include using the verb vaguely. Overall, "contribute" is a valuable term for conveying participation and support.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

add to

Focuses on the aspect of increasing or supplementing something that already exists.

chip in

Implies a shared contribution, often of money, within a group.

play a part in

Emphasizes the involvement or role in a process or event.

put in

Suggests an investment of effort, time, or resources.

lend itself to

Suggests that something is suitable or adaptable for a particular purpose.

provide

Focuses on the act of making something available or accessible.

offer

Highlights the act of presenting or providing something willingly.

give

A general term for transferring possession or offering something.

donate

Specifically refers to giving something, often money or goods, to a cause or organization.

supply

Indicates the provision of something needed or required.

FAQs

How to use "contribute" in a sentence?

You can use "contribute" to describe adding to something, like "She decided to "contribute her time" to the community garden" or "His research "contributed significantly" to the field of medicine".

What can I say instead of "contribute"?

You can use alternatives like "add to", "chip in", or "play a part in", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "contribute to" or "contribute in"?

"Contribute to" is the correct usage when you want to express that something is being added to something else. "Contribute in" is not typically used; instead, rephrase to use "contribute to" or another appropriate preposition.

What's the difference between "contribute" and "donate"?

"Contribute" is a general term for giving or adding something, while "donate" typically refers to giving money or goods to a cause or organization.