cooperate

/kəʊˈɒp.ə.ɹeɪt/

//kəʊˈɒp.ə.ɹeɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"cooperate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cooperate” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,723 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#9,723
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To work or act together, especially for a common purpose or benefit.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

cooperate vs corporate
78% similar
cooperate vs cooperative
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for cooperate
PropertyValue
Headwordcooperate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kəʊˈɒp.ə.ɹeɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#9,723
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cooperate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). cooperate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for cooperate is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kəʊˈɒp.ə.ɹeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,723 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for cooperate, with forms such as "ccooperate", "cooeprate", and "coopearte". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "corporate", "cooperative", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Originated 1595–1605 from Late Latin cooperātus, perfect passive participle of cooperor (“to work with”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more. Equivalent to co- + operate. Displaced native Old English efnwyrċan. The correct English form is cooperate, spelled C-O-O-P-E-R-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To work or act together, especially for a common purpose or benefit.
  2. 2
    To allow for mutual unobstructed action.
  3. 3
    To function in harmony, side by side.
  4. 4
    To engage in economic cooperation.
  5. 5
    To obtain the cooperation of (a potential witness); to turn (someone) into a cooperating witness.

Etymology

Originated 1595–1605 from Late Latin cooperātus, perfect passive participle of cooperor (“to work with”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more. Equivalent to co- + operate. Displaced native Old English efnwyrċan.

Synonyms

coactcoadjuteco-opliaisemake common causeplay ball

This word in other languages

cooperar(Español)coopérer(Français)zusammenarbeiten(Deutsch)cooperar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccooperate,cooeprate,coopearte,cooperaet,cooperatte,cooperrate,coopertae,coopperate,coopreate,coperate,copoerate,ocoperate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cooperate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ccooperate1cooeprate2coopearte2cooperaet2cooperatte1cooperrate1coopertae2coopperate1
Edit distance from "cooperate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cooperate"?
"cooperate" is spelled C-O-O-P-E-R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kəʊˈɒp.ə.ɹeɪt/.
What does "cooperate" mean?
As a verb, "cooperate" means: To work or act together, especially for a common purpose or benefit.
What words are commonly confused with "cooperate"?
"cooperate" is commonly confused with "corporate", "cooperative". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cooperate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cooperate" is /kəʊˈɒp.ə.ɹeɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "cooperate"?
Originated 1595–1605 from Late Latin cooperātus, perfect passive participle of cooperor (“to work with”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more. Equivalent to co- + operate. Displaced native Old English efnwyrċan. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “cooperate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-O-P-E-R-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kəʊˈɒp.ə.ɹeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “corporate” - see the side-by-side comparison. cooperate vs corporate
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list