contribution
noun
con·tri·bu·tion
ˌkän-trə-ˈbyü-shən 
plural contributions
1
: the act of contributing: such as
a
: the giving or supplying of something (such as money or time) as a part or share
They're collecting donations for contribution to the scholarship fund.
The hundreds of sweets were donated by members of the community in contribution to the center's midday Easter community meal, which will serve about 800 guests, said Phillip Wilson, weekend facility technician at Charlotte Rescue Mission.—
Brittany Penland
Brittany Penland
b
: the giving or supplying of something that plays a significant part in making something happen
Nurses are advised … to acknowledge each individual's right to choose … the level of contribution that they may want to make to decisions about their care.—Beverley Bostock-Cox
Beverley Bostock-Cox2
: something that is contributed: such as
a
: something (such as money or time) that is given or supplied as a part or share
his $100 contribution to the cancer research fund
401(k) contributions
Give cash. Contributions of food and clothing do not have the immediate impact that money does because they take longer to distribute. Some relief organizations may not have the staff or infrastructure to do that job well.—JDNews.com (Jacksonville, North Carolina)
JDNews.com (Jacksonville, North Carolina)During the 1930's, Dr. [William Henry] Sebrell made many important contributions to our knowledge of the anemias and the role of diet in cirrhosis of the liver.—NIH.gov
NIH.govShe wants to make a positive contribution to society.
b
: something that plays a significant part in making something happen
her contribution to the team's victory
He [Zullfigar Ali Quershi] added that Pakistan would nonetheless attempt to limit its contribution to climate change problems as the country developed economically.—Richard Monastersky
Richard Monastersky
c
: something (such as an article) that is supplied for a publication
… the new magazine, though published mainly in English, will print French contributions in the original, with English abstracts.—Quill and Quire
Quill and Quire3
: a payment (such as a levy or tax) imposed by military, civil, or ecclesiastical authorities usually for a special or extraordinary purpose
contributively
adverb
Synonyms
Examples of contribution in a Sentence
They thanked him for his contribution of time and money.
He made an important contribution to the debate.
As mayor, he made many positive contributions to the growth of the city.
a book of essays including contributions from several well-known political columnists
The money was raised by voluntary contribution.
Recent Examples on the Web
The contribution from him was small but encouraging: a baby hook with the left hand, a good help read to block a shot before the third-quarter buzzer, a pair of boards.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
Matching that money with contributions of their own, the state and city negotiated a transfer of seven miles of 82nd Avenue from the Oregon DOT to Portland.
—David Zipper, Vox, 13 Nov. 2024
Adams, a tough-on-crime former New York police captain, pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges in September after he was hit with five criminal counts, including bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national.
—Chloe Atkins, NBC News, 11 Nov. 2024
There is little question that pay-as-you-go welfare and health-care systems will require adjustment to maintain an adequate balance between contributions put into these programs and benefits taken out.
—Vegard Skirbekk, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for contribution 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
Matching that money with contributions of their own, the state and city negotiated a transfer of seven miles of 82nd Avenue from the Oregon DOT to Portland.
—David Zipper, Vox, 13 Nov. 2024
Adams, a tough-on-crime former New York police captain, pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges in September after he was hit with five criminal counts, including bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national.
—Chloe Atkins, NBC News, 11 Nov. 2024
There is little question that pay-as-you-go welfare and health-care systems will require adjustment to maintain an adequate balance between contributions put into these programs and benefits taken out.
—Vegard Skirbekk, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for contribution
Dictionary Entries Near contribution
Cite this Entry
“Contribution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contribution. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
contribution
noun
con·tri·bu·tion
ˌkän-trə-ˈbyü-shən
1
: the act of contributing
2
: a sum or a thing contributed
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share