Collaboration — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt/ col·lab·o·rate

Meaning & Definition of Collaboration

Collaboration (verb)

  1. to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor
  2. to cooperate with or willingly assist an enemy of one's country and especially an occupying force
  3. to cooperate with an agency or instrumentality with which one is not immediately connected

Collaboration (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the state of having shared interests or efforts (as in social or business matters)

    "a documentary film on the battle that was produced in collaboration with a society of historical reenactors"

    similar: affiliation, alliance, association, confederation, connection, cooperation, hookup, liaison, linkup, partnership, relation, relationship, tie-up, union
    related: business, dealings, interaction, exchange, interconnection, interrelation, mutualism, reciprocity, symbiosis, incorporation, integration, merger, unification, affinity, attachment, closeness, intimacy, rapport, sympathy, kinship, oneness, solidarity, togetherness, unity, colleagueship, companionship, company, fellowship, bed, cahoots, league
    opposite: disaffiliation, dissociation
    near: breakup, dissolution, disunion, division, parting, separation, severance, split, alienation, divorce, estrangement

  2. the work and activity of a number of persons who individually contribute toward the efficiency of the whole

    "our collaboration produced a better result than any of us could have achieved alone"

    similar: cooperation, coordination, teamwork
    related: collegiality, fellowship, partnership, community, mutualism, reciprocity, symbiosis, synergism, synergy, communion, cooperativeness, kinship, oneness, solidarity, togetherness, unity
    opposite: noncooperation

Related Entry: Collaborate (verb)

Collaborate is a different word from Collaboration. The synonyms below are for collaborate, not for collaboration.

  1. to participate or assist in a joint effort to accomplish an end

    "a trio of museums collaborated to mount this once-in-a-lifetime exhibit of van Gogh's major portraits"

    similar: band (together), concert, concur, conjoin, conspire, cooperate, join, league, team (up), unite, make common cause, play ball, pull together
    related: connive, affiliate, ally, associate, combine, confederate, hang together, interface

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Collaboration

The most common words with a similar meaning to Collaboration:

affiliation, alliance, association, confederation, connection, cooperation, hookup, liaison, linkup, partnership, relation, relationship, tie-up, union, coordination, teamwork

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Collaboration

Words with the opposite meaning of Collaboration:

disaffiliation, dissociation, noncooperation

Related Words for Collaboration

business, dealings, interaction, exchange, interconnection, interrelation, mutualism, reciprocity, symbiosis, incorporation, integration, merger, unification, affinity, attachment, closeness, intimacy, rapport, sympathy, kinship, oneness, solidarity, togetherness, unity, colleagueship, companionship, company, fellowship, bed, cahoots

Near Antonyms of Collaboration

breakup, dissolution, disunion, division, parting, separation, severance, split, alienation, divorce, estrangement

Word Forms of Collaboration

Inflections: collaborated, collaborating

Derived words: collaboration (noun), collaborative (adjective or noun), collaboratively (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Collaboration

Late Latin collaboratus, past participle of collaborare to labor together, from Latin com- + laborare to labor labor

First known use: 1837

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Collaboration

Frequently Asked Questions about Collaboration

What does "Collaboration" mean?

"Collaboration" means to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Collaboration"?

Other words for "Collaboration" include affiliation, alliance, association, confederation, connection, cooperation, hookup and liaison. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Collaboration" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Collaboration"?

There are 53 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Collaboration". Common alternatives include affiliation, alliance, association, confederation, connection, cooperation, hookup, liaison, linkup and partnership.

What is the opposite of "Collaboration"?

Antonyms of "Collaboration" include disaffiliation, dissociation and noncooperation. Near antonyms include breakup, dissolution, disunion and division.

How do you use "Collaboration" in a sentence?

Examples of "Collaboration" in a sentence: "a documentary film on the battle that was produced in collaboration with a society of historical reenactors"; "our collaboration produced a better result than any of us could have achieved alone".

Is "Collaboration" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Collaboration" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Collaboration" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Collaboration" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Collaboration"?

"Collaboration" is pronounced /kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt/ and divided into syllables as col·lab·o·rate.