coordination

coordination — noun

1. the process of bringing together different people, groups, or activities so that

1.nounB2
Definition

the process of bringing together different people, groups, or activities so that they operate smoothly towards a shared goal

Example

Nkechi took over the coordination of the school's annual science fair.

collocation: coordination of [event/project]

Poor coordination between the two departments caused repeated delays on the project.

collocation: coordination between [groups]

Common collocations
  • project coordination
  • event coordination
  • coordination of efforts
  • coordination between departments
Synonyms
  • organization

    broader term; coordination specifically emphasizes harmonious timing and interaction between parts

  • management

    includes authority and decision-making; coordination focuses on logistics and alignment rather than command

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

coordination of [people/groups/activities]

coordination between [groups]

Usage Note

Frequently used with a following 'of' phrase that names the people or activities being organized. The subject is typically a person in charge (coordinator, manager, director) or an organization.

Common Mistakes

There was a lack of coordination between the team members, they didn't cooperate.
There was a lack of coordination between the team members
tasks overlapped and deadlines were missed.' — 'coordination' focuses on organization and scheduling, not on willingness to help.

2. how smoothly and accurately you can make different parts of your body move toget

2.nounB2
Definition

how smoothly and accurately you can make different parts of your body move together, especially during sports or physical tasks

Example

Evelyn improved her hand-eye coordination by practising tennis every weekend.

compound: hand-eye coordination

Elderly people often lose coordination in their legs, making it harder to walk steadily.

collocation: lose coordination (medical/ageing context)

Common collocations
  • hand-eye coordination
  • motor coordination
  • coordination skills
  • lose coordination
Synonyms
  • dexterity

    specifically refers to skill in using the hands, whereas 'coordination' covers the whole body

  • agility

    emphasizes speed and ease of movement; coordination focuses on control and precision

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

coordination + preposition + [body part]

[adjective] + coordination

Usage Note

Often paired with 'hand-eye', 'motor', or a body-part modifier before the noun. Frequently discussed in contexts of child development, sports training, ageing, and rehabilitation.

Common Mistakes

He has a good coordination.
He has good coordination.
coordination is uncountable; never use 'a' before it.

3. the way in which colours, patterns, or styles are chosen to look good together,

3.nounB1
Definition

the way in which colours, patterns, or styles are chosen to look good together, for example in clothes, furniture, or room decoration

Example

Tariq chose a blue tie in coordination with his grey suit for the interview.

pattern: in coordination with [item]

The colour coordination of the living room makes it feel warm and inviting.

compound: colour coordination

Common collocations
  • colour coordination
  • in coordination with
  • coordination of colours
Synonyms
  • matching

    implies identical or very similar colours; coordination allows complementary or harmonious pairings

  • harmony

    a broader aesthetic concept; coordination is the practical act of arranging harmonious combinations

Antonyms
  • clash

    colours that do not look good together

Grammar Patterns

color coordination

in coordination with [thing]

Usage Note

Common in the compound 'colour coordination' and in the fixed phrase 'in coordination with'. Typically used approvingly, about deliberate aesthetic choices.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Coordination, cooperation, and collaboration all describe working with others, but each focuses on a different aspect. Coordination is about organizing different people or parts so that they work smoothly together — the coordinator may not be part of the group, just the person arranging the flow. Cooperation implies a willingness among independent parties to help each other or comply with requests; it is about attitude rather than structure. Collaboration means actively working together on a shared task or project, with joint ownership of the outcome. For example, event coordination means scheduling volunteers and ordering supplies; cooperation means each volunteer follows the instructions; collaboration would mean the volunteers co-create the event programme as a group. Teamwork overlaps with all three but stresses shared effort within a group working towards a common goal.

cooperation ↗collaboration ↗teamwork

Common collocations

Nouns

  • lack of coordination
  • need for coordination
  • coordination skills

Adverbs

  • well coordinated
  • poorly coordinated

Phrases

  • in coordination with

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'coordinare' — the prefix 'co-' (a form of 'cum', meaning 'together') combined with 'ordinare' (meaning 'to arrange or put in order'), which itself comes from 'ordo' ('order, rank, row'). The word entered English in the mid-17th century, first used in the sense of arranging parts into proper order, and later extended to social organization and body movement.