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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
  • So go ahead and get shopping — and remember: these deals only last through tomorrow.
    Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Last year, before that deal was announced, Mastercard launched a service with Recorded Future that aims to alert banks more quickly when a credit card is likely to have been compromised.
    Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • However, the parties involved failed to come to any agreement before that deal expired at the end of the year.
    Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Numerous college athletes have already signed agreements with schools outlining their terms of payment for the 2025-26 academic year.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • This was Spoelstra’s team playing just eight when the game was in the balance and getting the best from all eight, including a season-high19 points from Kyle Anderson and 16 points from Pelle Larsson.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Paul Rudd Paul Rudd previously starred in three Ant-Man movies as the superhero who can shrink to subatomic size.
    Eliana Dockterman, Time, 26 Mar. 2025
  • However, expressed as a percentage of overall employment, federal employment has been shrinking since 1975.
    Erik Sherman, Forbes, 26 Mar. 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
  • 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
  • Per the league's announcement, Urías has agreed to submit to an evaluation by the Joint Policy Board under the policy, which is collectively bargained between MLB and its players' union, and to comply with any of the board's recommendation.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Trump said on Friday that the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom struck a deal to avoid one of his executive orders by providing $100 million in pro bono work during the Trump administration -- among other guarantees.
    Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2025
  • The version Kyiv approved earlier does not include security guarantees, but says that the fund would be reinvested for the benefit of Ukraine.
    Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The nine-theater commitment builds upon a previous 2023 pact that called for eight Imax systems, effectively tripling the partners’ footprint since early last year.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The 11th edition, or pact as the brand calls it, was finished in añejo tequila barrels to give it an earthy, agave-forward twist to the palate—a first for this whiskey-collector favorite.
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contract. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

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