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Akielts Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary

Contribute and Participate

Is there any similarity between Contribute and Participate?

I know that my question may seem silly, but I really have problem with it.
  

Top answer

The words can be used interchangeably much of the time, but "contribute" has a wider meaning. When you "participate," that necessarily implies working with a team towards some goal. When you "contribute," that more broadly means donating time, goods, or money towards some goal .

  • The words can be used interchangeably much of the time, but "contribute" has a wider meaning.
  • When you "participate," that necessarily implies working with a team towards some goal.
  • When you "contribute," that more broadly means donating time, goods, or money towards some goal .
  • Contributing does not imply teamwork, because it could mean working in isolation towards a greater goal.
  • Here's an example: Thomas Edison "contributed" to recording technology when he invented the phonograph in 1877.
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2 Answers
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The words can be used interchangeably much of the time, but "contribute" has a wider meaning.

When you "participate," that necessarily implies working with a team towards some goal.

When you "contribute," that more broadly means donating time, goods, or money towards some goal. Contributing does not imply teamwork, because it could mean working in isolation towards

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