communicate
communicate
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "communicate" is /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
kə:
/k/: Voiceless velar stop
/ə/: Schwa (mid-central vowel)
ˈmjuː:
/m/: Bilabial nasal
/j/: Palatal approximant (as in "yes")
/uː/: Close back rounded vowel (as in "moon")
nɪ:
/n/: Alveolar nasal
/ɪ/: Near-close near-front unrounded vowel (as in "kit")
keɪt:
/k/: Voiceless velar stop
/eɪ/: Diphthong (as in "face")
/t/: Voiceless alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
Communicate" primarily functions as a verb. It has several related forms that serve as other parts of speech.
Verb Forms:
Base Form: communicate (e.g., "They communicate regularly.")
Third-person singular present: communicates (e.g., "She communicates clearly.")
Present participle: communicating (e.g., "He is communicating his ideas.")
Past tense: communicated (e.g., "We communicated the news yesterday.")
Past participle: communicated (e.g., "The message was communicated effectively.")
Related Forms:
Noun: communication (e.g., "Effective communication is key.")
Adjective: communicative (e.g., "He's a very communicative person.")
Adverb: communicatively (e.g., "She expressed herself communicatively.")
Noun (person): communicator (e.g., "He's an excellent communicator.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb Definitions
To convey information, feelings, or ideas to another person or group, typically through speaking, writing, or other mediums.
Synonyms: Convey, transmit, impart, express, disclose, articulate, exchange, interact
Antonyms: Withhold, conceal, hide, suppress, keep secret
To have a means of sending or receiving information; to connect.
Synonyms: Connect, link, transmit, interface, correspond
Antonyms: Disconnect, break off, isolate
(Of a room, building, or area) To lead into or be connected to another.
Synonyms: Connect, open into, lead to, adjoin
Antonyms: Separate, divide, isolate
Examples of Use
Books
"The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said." (Peter Drucker) – This quote highlights the nuances of how people communicate.
"It was difficult to communicate with them, as they spoke a different language." (Common in travelogues or historical fiction involving cultural exchange)
Newspapers and Online Publications
"Scientists are working on new ways to communicate climate data more effectively to the public." (Nature Climate Change)
"Businesses need to communicate clearly with their remote teams to ensure productivity." (Harvard Business Review)
"The app allows users to communicate instantly through text and voice messages." (TechCrunch)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Film: In Arrival (2016), the central plot revolves around humanity's attempt to communicate with an alien species.
Television: "It's essential for a good leader to be able to communicate their vision to their team." (Common line in business or leadership-focused TV shows)
Music: Many songs explore themes of how people struggle or succeed to communicate feelings in relationships.
Video Games: Multiplayer online games often provide in-game chat or voice features for players to communicate with each other.
General Public Discourse
"How do you usually communicate with your parents?" (Everyday conversation about personal contact methods)
"It's important to communicate your needs clearly in a relationship." (Advice on healthy relationships)
"The two rooms communicate through a hidden door." (Describing the layout of a building)
"I tried to communicate my frustration, but he just didn't get it." (Expressing difficulty in conveying emotions)
10 Quotes Using Communicate
"To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others." (Tony Robbins)
"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." (George Bernard Shaw) - This quote, while using "communication," clearly implies the act of trying to communicate.
"Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively." (Gerald R. Ford)
"If you just communicate, you can get by. But if you communicate skillfully, you can work miracles." (Jim Rohn)
"How well we communicate is not determined by how well we say things but how well we are understood." (Andrew Grove)
"Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people." (William Butler Yeats)
"Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable." (Leonard Bernstein)
"Technology gives us power, but it does not and cannot tell us how to use that power. Thanks to technology, we can instantly communicate across the world, but it still doesn't help us know what to say." (Jonathan Sacks)
"The thing that we are trying to do at Facebook, is just help people connect and communicate more efficiently." (Mark Zuckerberg)
"Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood." (T. S. Eliot)
Etymology
The word "communicate" comes from the Latin verb "commūnicāre," which meant "to share," "to impart," or "to make common." This Latin word itself is derived from "communis," meaning "common," "public," or "shared."
The first known use of "communicate" in English, appearing around the late 14th century, referred to making something common or sharing it with others. This could be sharing a disease, a secret, or a thought. By the 16th century, the meaning evolved to its primary modern sense: to transmit information or ideas, especially through speaking or writing.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Communicate
Communicate effectively: To convey messages clearly and successfully.
Example: "Good leaders must communicate effectively with their teams."
Communicate ideas: To share thoughts or concepts.
Example: "Artists often use their work to communicate ideas."
Communicate across cultures: To exchange information or build understanding between different cultural backgrounds.
Example: "Learning a new language helps you communicate across cultures."
Communicate a message: To convey specific information or a particular point.
Example: "The advertisement aims to communicate a message of hope."
Communicate feelings: To express emotions.
Example: "It can be hard to communicate feelings when you're upset."
Get the message across: (Meaning to successfully communicate something).
Example: "I tried to explain, but I couldn't get the message across."
Bridge the gap: (To connect or make something understandable between two different parties, similar to communicating).
Example: "Diplomats work to bridge the gap between nations."
Speak volumes: (To convey a lot of information or meaning without words, a form of non-verbal communication).
Example: "His silence during the meeting spoke volumes about his disapproval."
On the same wavelength: (Meaning to understand each other well, implying effective communication).
Example: "We're always on the same wavelength when it comes to business ideas."
Open lines of communication: (To establish or maintain channels for regular exchange of information).
Example: "It's important to maintain open lines of communication with your customers.”
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of communicate from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
