cooperate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cooperate" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to working together with others towards a common goal or purpose. Example: "In order to achieve our objectives, we must cooperate and support each other throughout the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But Fox's pledge to maintain Britain's ability to wage war unilaterally, cooperate with France while snubbing the EU's defence agency, cutting Whitehall staff and reforming wasteful procurement (again) does not sound like tough realism, especially when combined with Cameron's gimmicky "war cabinet" and national security adviser approach.

The Guardian - Opinion

Hard as it is to imagine, revolutionary Iran continued to cooperate with Israel during much of the 1980s and 1990s despite the mutually bellicose rhetoric out of Tehran and Tel Aviv.

The Guardian

On Thursday, a Barclays spokesman said: "Barclays works closely with its regulators in all jurisdictions and will continue to cooperate with the New York attorney general.

The Guardian - Business

There was an impulse towards supra-nationalism in the shape of membership in the European Union, where countries that had fought each other for centuries – notably France and Germany – agreed to cooperate in the new world of superpower blocs.

The Guardian

The one wedge that opens clear light between the two opposition leaders is their stated willingness to cooperate in an effort to defeat Harper.

The Guardian

"We will continue to cooperate fully with [the commission] and look forward to a successful resolution of the process," it said.

The Guardian - Business

Dzhemilev said the Mejlis was split on whether to refuse to cooperate with the new government, but he thought it would have to compromise.

The Guardian

Detectives suspect that the farm, owned by local businessman John Fowler, could be where the robbers initially took the depot manager Colin Dixon and his wife and son, whom they kidnapped in order to force him to cooperate.

The Guardian

Zaragoza had said in a statement that it had "no knowledge of any circumstances connected to the investigation" but that it would "cooperate with any requests" made by the prosecutor.

The Guardian - Sport

He will cooperate in full with the standards commissioner's investigation".

The Guardian

Zuley, through a spokesperson, declined to cooperate with the Guardian's investigation, despite multiple requests.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cooperate", ensure that the context clearly indicates who is cooperating with whom and towards what end. Specificity enhances clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "cooperate" in unnecessarily passive constructions, which can weaken the impact of your writing. Instead of saying "cooperation was offered", specify who cooperated and what actions they took.

Linguistic Context

The verb "cooperate" functions primarily to describe the action of working jointly with others towards a common objective. Ludwig's examples confirm its use in diverse scenarios requiring collaboration, such as international relations, business negotiations, and criminal investigations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "cooperate" is a frequently used verb that describes working together for a shared purpose. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely employed in various contexts, particularly in news, business, and scientific domains. For best usage, specify who is cooperating and what the objectives are to ensure clarity. Be mindful of passive constructions to maintain the strength of your writing. Consider alternatives such as "work together" or "collaborate" for slight variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

work together

Emphasizes the joint effort in achieving a common goal.

collaborate

Highlights a shared effort and mutual contribution.

join forces

Suggests combining resources and efforts for a specific purpose.

unite

Indicates a merging of efforts or goals.

make common cause

Implies aligning with others to address a shared concern.

act jointly

Highlights acting together or in concert.

pull together

Focuses on concerted effort, particularly in challenging situations.

be of assistance

Focuses on providing help or aid.

lend a hand

Offers help or support.

get involved

Highlights active participation and contribution.

FAQs

How can I use "cooperate" in a sentence?

You can use "cooperate" to describe working together towards a common goal, as in, "The two companies agreed to "work together" on the project." or "The suspect agreed to "work with" the police."

What is a good synonym for "cooperate"?

Depending on the context, suitable synonyms for "cooperate" include "collaborate", "work together", "join forces", or "unite".

What is the difference between "cooperate" and "collaborate"?

"Cooperate" generally means working together, while "collaborate" often implies a more in-depth, creative, or intellectual partnership.

Is it better to say "cooperate with" or "cooperate to"?

It is generally more common and grammatically correct to say "cooperate with" someone or some entity. For example, "We will "work with" local authorities." While "cooperate to" is less common, it can be used to express cooperation in order to achieve a specific result.