collaborators

IPA/kəˈlæb.ə.reɪ.tər/
KK[kəlˈæbɚˌetɚz]IPA/kəˈlæb.ə.reɪ.t̬ɚ/

collaborators — noun

  • collaboratorssingular
  • collaboratorsesplural

1. someone who gives assistance to a foreign military force or political group that

1.名詞B2
釋義

someone who gives assistance to a foreign military force or political group that has seized power in their nation, for instance by passing along information, supplies, or other forms of help

例句

During the occupation, Imani was tried and executed as a collaborator with the enemy.

collaborator + with + [enemy force]; wartime trial context

Kian was branded a collaborator after local residents saw him dining with enemy officers.

同義詞
  • traitor

    stronger and more general; a traitor betrays anyone's trust, not just during war

  • quisling

    a historical term from WWII, specifically for a person who helps an occupying enemy force

  • turncoat

    someone who switches sides for personal gain; less specific to wartime

反義詞
  • patriot

    someone who actively supports and defends their country against enemies

  • resistance fighter

    a person who fights secretly against an occupying army

文法句型

collaborator + with + [enemy / occupying force]

suspected / accused + collaborator

用法筆記

Strongly negative in tone. Only applies to wartime or occupation contexts in which a person helps a hostile foreign power that controls their country. Do not use this sense for ordinary workplace cooperation — see sense 2 (WORKING TOGETHER). The singular form collaborator is also common.

常見錯誤

❌The new employee was a collaborator with the department head on the budget report.' (using sense-1 word in a neutral office context)
✅The new employee worked together with the department head on the budget report.
💡Use work together or cooperate for ordinary teamwork; collaborator implies helping an enemy.
❌She was a collaborator who helped the invading army plan the attack.' (translating a foreign word that means 'colleague' into English collaborator)
✅She was a colleague who helped the team plan the presentation.
💡Do not use collaborator to mean a coworker or partner when the context involves military conflict — the reader will understand the negative sense.

2. someone who joins with other people in a team effort to achieve a shared objecti

2.名詞B1
釋義

someone who joins with other people in a team effort to achieve a shared objective, for example finishing a project, conducting research, or producing original work

例句

Samir and his international collaborators published their research findings in a leading science journal.

international collaborators — academic/research context

The film festival brought together collaborators from twelve countries to share their work.

同義詞
  • colleague

    a person you work with in the same profession or organization; neutral, no implication of actively working together on the same task

  • partner

    a person you join with in an activity or business; suggests a more equal and committed relationship than collaborator

  • associate

    a person you work with, often in business; more formal and slightly more distant than collaborator

  • teammate

    a member of the same team; informal and suggests close day-to-day cooperation

反義詞
  • competitor

    a person or group that tries to win against you rather than work with you

  • rival

    a person or organization competing for the same goal or market

文法句型

collaborator + on + [project / task]

international / research / project + collaborator

用法筆記

Neutral or slightly positive in tone. Very common in academic, artistic, business, and scientific contexts. Avoid using this sense in any setting that involves war or military occupation — readers will assume the negative sense 1 (WORKING WITH ENEMY). The singular form collaborator is also widely used.

常見錯誤

❌The secret police arrested the writer's collaborators.' (ambiguous — could mean fellow writers or traitors)
✅The secret police arrested the writer's colleagues and co-authors.
💡In a repressive political context, collaborators will be read as 'traitors'; use colleagues or associates instead.