cooperative
/kəʊˈɒpərətɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /kəʊˈɑːpərətɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /kō-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-tiv -ˈä-pə-ˌrā-/ (ame, mw) · /ˈkəʊɒp/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkoʊɑː.p/ (ame, ipa)
cooperative — adjective
- cooperativepositive
- more cooperativecomparative
- most cooperativesuperlative
1. describes someone who willingly does what others ask and works together with the
describes someone who willingly does what others ask and works together with them without causing difficulties
The new nurse was very cooperative and followed every instruction from the senior staff.
be cooperative — predicative, often modified by 'very'
Kwame's cooperative attitude made the whole team project run much more smoothly.
cooperative attitude — attributive before noun
The children were surprisingly cooperative during the eight-hour flight to Seoul.
If the suspect remains cooperative, the judge may take that into account at sentencing.
Our landlord has been cooperative about fixing the broken water heater in the basement.
- helpful
broader in meaning; can describe objects (a helpful guide) as well as people
- accommodating
implies adjusting one's own plans to fit another person's needs
- supportive
focuses on giving encouragement or backing rather than following instructions
- willing
simpler level; does not necessarily imply active teamwork
- uncooperative
direct opposite — refusing to help or work with others
- obstructive
stronger — actively creating difficulties rather than just refusing help
- difficult
informal; describes someone who is hard to deal with in general
文法句型
be cooperative
cooperative + noun (e.g. attitude, spirit)
用法筆記
Often used in workplace, medical, or formal contexts to describe behaviour during a task. The opposite is 'uncooperative'. 'Cooperative' is stronger than 'helpful' — it implies active willingness, not just passive assistance.
常見錯誤
2. describes an activity or project in which two or more people or groups join forc
describes an activity or project in which two or more people or groups join forces to reach a shared goal
The two universities launched a cooperative research programme on renewable energy.
cooperative research programme — attributive, academic context
The mountain rescue was a cooperative effort involving firefighters, police, and local volunteers.
cooperative effort — common noun collocation
Rin and her neighbours started a cooperative garden in the empty lot behind their street.
Cooperative learning helps students develop communication skills while mastering the subject material.
- collaborative
more formal; often used for intellectual or creative work (research, art)
- collective
emphasizes group ownership or responsibility; broader than task-based cooperation
- shared
simpler level; can describe resources or goals, not just activities
- individual
done by one person rather than a group
- solo
informal; emphasizes one person acting alone
- independent
carries a neutral or positive tone rather than negative
文法句型
cooperative + noun (effort, project, work)
用法筆記
Typically used before a noun (attributive position). This sense focuses on the nature of the activity itself, not on someone's personal willingness. Cannot follow 'very' or 'quite' — 'a very cooperative project' would sound odd unless it means the people involved were willing to help.
常見錯誤
3. describes a home or building that is owned collectively by the people who live i
describes a home or building that is owned collectively by the people who live in it, rather than being owned by a private landlord or by individual residents directly
Olivia bought a cooperative apartment in Brooklyn where each resident owns a share.
cooperative apartment — most common US housing collocation
The cooperative housing complex requires all members to attend monthly meetings about building maintenance.
cooperative housing complex — fixed real-estate term
Unlike a rental, a cooperative flat cannot be sold without approval from the building's board.
Élise moved into a cooperative building where residents share the cost of repairs and utilities.
- co-op
informal abbreviation; used both as adjective and noun in everyday speech
- rental
a property owned by a landlord and leased to a tenant
- condominium
a unit the resident owns outright, unlike a cooperative where they own shares
文法句型
cooperative + apartment/building/housing
用法筆記
Almost always used before a noun. In American English, often shortened to 'co-op' in informal speech. Distinguish from noun sense 2 (the organization that owns the building) and noun sense 3 (the specific home within that system).
常見錯誤
4. describes a video game, board game, or other activity in which players work toge
describes a video game, board game, or other activity in which players work together as a team to achieve a common objective instead of competing against one another
The game offers a cooperative mode where up to four players fight monsters together.
cooperative mode — standard gaming collocation
Amihan prefers cooperative board games over competitive ones because the experience feels less stressful.
In a cooperative video game, players share resources and talk to each other to win.
The expansion pack adds a cooperative campaign for two friends to play in one evening.
- co-op
informal abbreviation; widely used in gaming communities
- collaborative
more formal; less common in gaming but used for certain multiplayer experiences
- competitive
players try to beat each other rather than work together
- versus
gaming term for player-against-player mode
- solo
single-player mode; one person plays alone
文法句型
cooperative + game/mode/play
用法筆記
Common in game reviews and descriptions. Often shortened to 'co-op' (e.g. 'co-op mode'). In video game contexts, 'cooperative' contrasts with 'competitive' or 'versus'. Some games offer both cooperative and competitive modes.
常見錯誤
5. describes a company, shop, farm, or other organization that is owned and control
describes a company, shop, farm, or other organization that is owned and controlled by the people who work in it, with profits divided among the members
The coffee shop is a cooperative business owned by the twelve people who work there.
cooperative business — describes ownership structure
Local farmers formed a cooperative dairy that shares equipment and profits among members.
A cooperative farm distributes its earnings according to each member's contribution during the season.
Walid joined a cooperative bookstore where every employee has an equal vote on important decisions.
- co-op
informal abbreviation used in both speech and writing
- collective
broader; can refer to any group sharing resources or decision-making, not necessarily a formal business
- mutual
used for organizations (e.g. mutual insurance) that are owned by policyholders, not workers
- privately owned
owned by an individual or a group of investors
- corporate
owned by shareholders who may not work in the business
文法句型
cooperative + business/enterprise/farm/shop
用法筆記
Often abbreviated to 'co-op' in informal speech. Distinguish from adjective sense 3 (housing): this sense applies to any type of business, not just residential property. The Rochdale Principles (1844) established the modern cooperative business model.
常見錯誤
cooperative — noun
- cooperativesingular
- cooperativesplural
1. a company, shop, or farm whose workers or customers jointly hold ownership and d
a company, shop, or farm whose workers or customers jointly hold ownership and decision-making power, sharing the profits among themselves rather than paying outside shareholders
The worker-owned bakery is a cooperative that has been operating in Taipei since 1998.
worker-owned cooperative — specific type of co-op
Hugo joined a farming cooperative that sells organic vegetables directly to local families.
Many coffee growers in Ethiopia sell their beans through a cooperative to get fairer prices.
The food cooperative in our neighbourhood orders fresh produce in bulk every Tuesday morning.
Bilal works at a bicycle repair cooperative where all eight mechanics share the profits equally.
- co-op
informal abbreviation; very common in everyday speech
- collective
broader; can be less formal than a registered cooperative business
- mutual society
a financial organization owned by its members, e.g. a building society
- corporation
owned by shareholders who may not use or work for the business
- private company
owned by an individual or small group of investors
文法句型
a cooperative
worker cooperative
food cooperative
用法筆記
Often shortened to 'co-op' in informal speech and writing. The members are called 'co-op members'. A 'worker cooperative' is owned by employees; a 'consumer cooperative' is owned by customers. Common worldwide, especially in agriculture, retail, and banking.
常見錯誤
2. a group of residents who together own and manage the apartment buildings or hous
a group of residents who together own and manage the apartment buildings or houses they live in, making joint decisions about upkeep, regulations, and costs
The housing cooperative in Shinjuku owns three apartment buildings with eighty units in total.
housing cooperative — noun-noun compound
Jessica applied to join a housing cooperative where residents help clean the common areas.
Nellie's housing cooperative has a shared garden and a rooftop terrace for all members.
When you join a housing cooperative, you buy shares instead of owning a flat directly.
- housing co-op
informal abbreviation
- residential cooperative
formal term; more common in legal documents
- co-op building
focuses on the physical building rather than the organization
- rental agency
a landlord-owned building where tenants have no ownership stake
- condominium association
owners hold individual titles to their units rather than shares in the whole building
文法句型
housing cooperative
live in a cooperative
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 3: the housing cooperative (sense 2) is the organization; a cooperative (sense 3) is one specific home within it. In American English, 'co-op' can refer to either the organization or the unit depending on context. Also called a 'housing co-op' or 'residential cooperative'.
常見錯誤
3. a specific house or apartment that belongs to a housing cooperative, in which th
a specific house or apartment that belongs to a housing cooperative, in which the resident holds shares rather than owning the property directly
Ravindra rents a small cooperative in the east end from a friend who owns shares.
João's family sold their Upper West Side cooperative and bought a Vermont house.
sold their cooperative — ownership context
The cooperative on the third floor has a view of the park across the street.
Unlike renting, owning a cooperative gives you a say in building management.
- co-op
informal abbreviation; very common in real-estate contexts
- co-op unit
specifies that it is one unit within a larger cooperative building
- co-op apartment
emphasizes that it is an apartment, not a house
- condominium
the resident owns the unit outright rather than shares in the organization
- rental apartment
the resident pays rent to a landlord and has no ownership stake
文法句型
buy a cooperative
live in a cooperative
用法筆記
This sense refers to the individual home unit, not the organization (sense 2). Common in American real-estate listings: 'Two-bedroom cooperative for sale.' The owner holds shares in the cooperative corporation and pays a monthly maintenance fee. Contrasts with a condominium, where the owner holds the deed to the unit.