contributed free

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "contributed free" is not entirely correct in standard written English; it would be better as "contributed for free." You can use it when referring to something that has been given or provided without charge.
Example: "The software was contributed for free by the developers to support the open-source community."

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Oxford Nanopore have contributed free of charge early-access reagents in support of the data presented in this manuscript.

GigaScience

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Technically complying with the corporate money ban, several large corporations contributed free-of-charge goods and services to the account funding the Democratic National Convention.

Huffington Post

The Cleaver Co., a caterer, is providing its services at a discount; P.S. 122 is donating its space; and the Brooklyn Brewery is contributing free beer.

The New York Times

Mr. Brand and other administrators say journal price increases contribute to the rising cost of higher education, adding that universities often pay for the research their professors contribute free to profitable journals.

The New York Times

Heterotrophic in-stream processing of DOC may contribute free CO2 to increase DIC and would shift carbonate equilibrium towards HCO3 − (Stumm and Morgan 1981).

Applied Water Science

In short, a group has to be pretty shitty to be denied the right to contribute free labor to the government.

Vice

IAA hydrolase contributes free IAA to the auxin pool during germination in Arabidopsis[ 38], while IAA synthetase may catalyze the entire pathway of biosynthesis of the major plant growth hormone [ 39].

BMC Genomics

Fortunately, it will often be the case, especially in neutral to alkaline sulfidic waters, that the amount of ΣS0 contributed by free and sorbed molecular S8 is negligible.

Geochemical Transactions

Braniff scored six points from frees in the first half while London's Martin Finn contributed four frees, before coming off injured.

BBC

There are limits to how much can be contributed tax-free, but the amount of tax foregone through contributions to 401(k) plans, along with employer plans, when combined still make tax-deferred retirement savings the second largest tax expenditure.

Huffington Post

Journal publishing's costs are minimal because researchers contribute papers free, to advance their careers.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "contributed free", consider if "contributed for free" or "contributed without charge" might be clearer and more common alternatives. This ensures your writing is both grammatically sound and easily understood.

Common error

Avoid using "contributed free" when "contributed for free" is intended. The preposition 'for' clarifies that the contribution was made without expecting payment or compensation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "contributed free" functions as a verb phrase, indicating an action of providing something without cost. As Ludwig AI points out, it is often better to use the preposition 'for' to clarify the meaning as in "contributed for free."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "contributed free" describes an act of providing something without charge. While understandable, it's less common than alternatives like "contributed for free" or "donated free of charge". Ludwig AI indicates that the inclusion of the preposition 'for' often improves clarity. Usage is split between news and scientific contexts, suggesting a neutral but slightly informal register. For formal writing, consider more explicit phrases. Although "contributed free" is grammatically acceptable, the alternatives provide better clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

contributed without charge

Replaces "free" with a more formal synonym, emphasizing the absence of cost.

donated free of charge

Uses the verb "donated" to specify a voluntary contribution, making the meaning more explicit.

provided at no cost

Focuses on the recipient's perspective, highlighting that there is no expense involved.

offered gratis

Employs the Latin term "gratis" for a more sophisticated and concise expression of freeness.

gave complimentary access

Uses "complimentary" to denote something given as a courtesy or favor, adding a layer of politeness.

supplied without payment

Directly states the absence of payment, making the meaning unambiguous.

furnished free of cost

Emphasizes the act of furnishing or providing something, with "free of cost" reinforcing the zero expense.

made available at no charge

Highlights the accessibility of something without any associated fees.

bestowed as a gift

Implies a generous act of giving, shifting the focus to the benefactor's intention.

contributed on a pro bono basis

Uses the legal term "pro bono" to indicate services offered voluntarily and without payment, often in a professional context.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "contributed free" for better clarity?

You can use phrases like "contributed for free", "donated free of charge", or "provided at no cost" to improve clarity and grammatical correctness.

Is "contributed free" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "contributed free" is less common. It's generally more correct to say "contributed for free" or use a more formal phrase like "contributed without charge".

What's the difference between "contributed free" and "contributed for free"?

"Contributed free" lacks the preposition 'for', making it sound slightly less natural in standard English. "Contributed for free" clearly indicates something was given without cost.

What are some formal alternatives to "contributed free"?

Formal alternatives include "donated free of charge", "provided at no cost", or "contributed without charge". These options are suitable for academic or professional contexts.