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contract

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verb

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as in to bargain
to come to an arrangement as to a course of action the farmer contracted for delivery of the hay by the first of July

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word contract different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of contract are compress, condense, constrict, deflate, and shrink. While all these words mean "to decrease in bulk or volume," contract applies to a drawing together of surfaces or particles or a reduction of area or length.

caused her muscles to contract

Where would compress be a reasonable alternative to contract?

In some situations, the words compress and contract are roughly equivalent. However, compress implies a pressing into a small compass and definite shape usually against resistance.

compressed cotton into bales

When would condense be a good substitute for contract?

Although the words condense and contract have much in common, condense implies a reducing of something homogeneous to greater compactness without significant loss of content.

condense the essay into a paragraph

When is it sensible to use constrict instead of contract?

The words constrict and contract are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, constrict implies a tightening that reduces diameter.

the throat is constricted by a tight collar

In what contexts can deflate take the place of contract?

While in some cases nearly identical to contract, deflate implies a contracting by reducing the internal pressure of contained air or gas.

deflate the balloon

When might shrink be a better fit than contract?

The synonyms shrink and contract are sometimes interchangeable, but shrink implies a contracting or a loss of material and stresses a falling short of original dimensions.

the sweater will shrink when washed

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contract
Noun
Now that all the Dolphins’ contracts have been registered, what remained true a week ago remains the case today: The Dolphins didn’t guarantee a single dollar, beyond this season, to any of their new players. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2025 And even aid groups whose contracts are still active may not be able to assist in the earthquake relief efforts. Melody Schreiber, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
More than half of all women will contract this kind of UTI in their lifetime, and almost a third will battle recurring episodes. New Atlas, 30 Mar. 2025 Patient dies after contracting rabies from kidney transplant Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Julia Gomez, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contract
Noun
  • Financial details of the Amalie deal were not disclosed.
    Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon TV series originated a couple of years ago when Sony regained the rights to the books through a first-look deal with Vertigo and tapped Ning to adapt it as part of an overall deal.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Another Law Firm Reaches Agreement: Milbank, based in Manhattan, has reached an agreement with the Trump administration over the kind of free legal services its lawyers can provide to head off an executive order that could impair its business.
    Victoria Kim, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The Writers Guild of America East and West members at CBS News have ratified a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the company.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • There are many people who are not getting social service programs, especially people with disabilities.
    Allison Pecorin, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Their last contest was a slugfest – literally – as the Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves got into a brawl that resulted in multiple ejections.
    Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Now the gap has shrunk to 5.3% behind 2024 and 35% behind 2019.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 7 Apr. 2025
  • If the company stumbles—or worse, goes bust—your deferred cash could shrink or vanish.
    Anatoly Iofe, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • For complex tasks, the smartphone can further compress the latent representations and forward them to cloud servers for specialized processing (e.g., full document OCR or advanced medical diagnostics).
    Wei Duan, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • More importantly, compressed monthly changes highlight the general lack of homebuying demand that continues to characterize the current housing market.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Since then, the index has been retreating amid growing signs of economic weakness in the U.S. and as Trump’s trade policies proved more aggressive than Wall Street bargained for.
    Jesse Pound, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Postal workers first earned the right to collectively bargain in 1970, Capone said, and since the early 80s the postal service has managed to exist without the benefit of additional federal dollars or support.
    Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Past performance is no guarantee of future performance.
    Vincent Gregoire, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • But there are no guarantees that deals will be struck by the time shipments arrive at U.S. ports.
    Lori Ann LaRocco, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • As part of the pact, Korine will also serve on the jury at Runway’s AI Film Festival that will take place at New York’s Alice Tully Hall and L.A.’s The Broad Stage Theater this June.
    Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
  • That came after the British government’s rejection, on April 1, of an attempt by Europe to make London’s participation in a defense pact conditional on its readiness to allow EU fishing boats into British waters.
    Colette Davidson, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contract. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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