What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
cumulatively
Example
The company's profits have increased cumulatively over the past five years. [cumulatively: adverb]
Example
The team's success was due to the cumulatively hard work of each member. [cumulatively: adjective]
collectively
Example
The team collectively decided to postpone the meeting until next week. [collectively: adverb]
Example
The employees were collectively responsible for completing the project on time. [collectively: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Collectively is more commonly used than cumulatively in everyday language, especially in informal contexts. Cumulatively is more technical and often used in academic or scientific writing.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between cumulatively and collectively?
Cumulatively is more formal and technical than collectively, which is more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
