contingency

noun

kən-ˈtin-jən(t)-sē How to pronounce contingency (audio)
Definition of contingencynext
1
as in possibility
something that might happen agencies trying to provide for every contingency in a national emergency

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in provision
something upon which the carrying out of an agreement or offer depends an offer to buy the house, with the contingency that it pass inspection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun contingency differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of contingency are crisis, emergency, exigency, juncture, pinch, straits, and strait. While all these words mean "a critical or crucial time or state of affairs," contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

contingency plans

In what contexts can crisis take the place of contingency?

The meanings of crisis and contingency largely overlap; however, crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.

a crisis of confidence

When is emergency a more appropriate choice than contingency?

While in some cases nearly identical to contingency, emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies

When might exigency be a better fit than contingency?

The synonyms exigency and contingency are sometimes interchangeable, but exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

provide for exigencies

When could juncture be used to replace contingency?

The words juncture and contingency can be used in similar contexts, but juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.

an important juncture in our country's history

How does the word pinch relate to other synonyms for contingency?

Pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.

come through in a pinch

How are the words strait and straits related as synonyms of contingency?

Strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

in dire straits

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 contingency Practice Contingency Planning And Forecasting Businesses that practice contingency planning quarterly combined with forecasting for sensitivity analysis will be more prepared for the changes that may come. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 The tenuous nature of the lines of communication from the northern elements of the salient back into Ukraine is probably seeing a lot of contingency planning and war gaming in case the Ukrainians need to conduct a withdrawal, Ryan added. —William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025 That’s what your nation’s human spaceflight program is all about, planning for unknown, unexpected contingencies. —Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2025 Here are key reasons why resilience is vital for outsourcing operations: Ensures Business Continuity: Resilient models enable uninterrupted services during unexpected disruptions through contingency planning and distributed backup capabilities. —Mit Somaiya, Sourcing Journal, 3 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contingency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contingency
  1. possibility
  2. provision
  3. event
  4. requirement
  5. contingent
  6. condition
  7. case
  8. stipulation
Noun
  • Gore subsequently enlisted the help of government managers from many federal agencies to determine the possibility of reform and the need for innovation in areas such as automation, procurement and personnel management.
    — Michael Eric Siegel, Baltimore Sun, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The next mayor will need to work well with others while also representing the best interests of village residents, balancing the existing demands of running a popular suburb while preparing for the possibility of exponential growth if a deal with the Bears goes through.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of possibility
Noun
  • While supporting current retirees, this board has long said the state must amend a provision added to its constitution in 1970 that has made real progress on pensions practically impossible.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The ship is capable of delivering ammunition, provisions, stores, spare parts, potable water and petroleum products to aircraft carrier groups and other naval forces, serving as a shuttle ship or station ship.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of provision
Noun
  • View the full list of honorees below and find more details and purchase tickets for the 2025 Billboard Women In Music event on the official website.
    — DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Koster previously won silver in the event at the 2015 European Indoor Championships and had finished second in her qualifying race before the incident in the final this weekend.
    — Julia Andersen, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of event
Noun
  • Visiting production centers in person is a crucial part of ensuring his clients goods will meet the USMCA requirements, which also include paying workers $16 an hour on the books and abiding by a slew of intellectual property rules.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
  • What To Know Polizzi had applied for a waiver from the building permit requirement in April 2024 but has not received a response from LADBS.
    — William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of requirement
Noun
  • Primary or current beneficiaries benefit from the trust now, and they can be followed by contingent, successor, or alternate beneficiaries.
    — Bob Carlson, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Kyiv backed the plan on Tuesday, contingent on Moscow’s agreement.
    — Jenni Reid,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of contingent
Noun
  • Officials issued mandatory evacuation orders via social media that included homes, hotels and a Walmart. Jennifer Thompson, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Norman, described the fire conditions in the central and northern parts of the state as historic and highly anomalous.
    — Sean Murphy and Russ Bynum, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The director of the F1 movie, Joseph Kosinski, has revealed the one condition Lewis Hamilton had going into its production.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of condition
Noun
  • Here’s what to know: Are there any measles cases in Florida?
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The Zillion Direct doesn’t stand out as either a great- or poor-performing case in our formal thermal tests, so our consideration criteria are reduced to its feature set and to harder-to-quantify things like build quality.
    — PCMAG, PCMAG, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of case
Noun
  • The commission said there have been 148 such stipulations since the process was started in 2003.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2025
  • In July 2021, the Oscar nominee filed a lawsuit against distributor The Walt Disney Company, alleging that its simultaneous release of Black Widow in theaters and on streaming service Disney+ breached a stipulation in her contract that it be released exclusively in theaters.
    — Jack Smart, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of stipulation

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Cite this Entry

“Contingency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contingency. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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