crowdfunding
noun
Did you know?
Crowdsourcing and crowdfunding are two words that have recently found their way into the crowded pool of English. Crowdsourcing, which typically refers to the practice of soliciting services, ideas, or content from a large group of people online, was coined by Jeff Howe in a 2006 article in Wired, and crowdfunding was created by entrepreneur Michael Sullivan in that same year. Both words conceptualize "the crowd" as a vast online community from which something needed may be obtained. In crowdsourcing, the crowd is called upon for needed assistance or information. A well-known use of crowdsourcing is Wikipedia, whose content is the result of various contributors. Crowdfunding, on the other hand, involves a more specific request: the crowd is solicited for financial contributions to a particular venture or cause, such as a film project or cancer research.
Examples of crowdfunding in a Sentence
Rina Nakano, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
As charitable crowdfunding continues to grow, the issue is not only how platforms such as Venmo or GoFundMe report transactions.
—Pamala Wiepking, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
In many instances, that means crowdfunding has been the solution.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 21 Feb. 2026
Financing for Deep Red follows a model that builds on the crowdfunding strategy that helped power the original Iron Sky movies.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crowdfunding
Cite this Entry
“Crowdfunding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crowdfunding. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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crowdfunding
noun
