1
as in deal
a formal agreement to fulfill an obligation
accused her of breaking their contract by not completing the decorating job on budget
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in agreement
an arrangement about action to be taken
a contract outlining what needed to be done by each person
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to get
to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
before vaccines were invented, people lived in fear of contracting polio
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shrink
to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter
metal contracts at low temperatures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to compress
to reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together
contract the calf muscles in your legs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
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
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
Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
In 2013, the club signed a 25-year, $8.35 billion contract with what is now Spectrum.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 30 May 2025
Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 16 May 2025
Experts believe that broken heart syndrome occurs when bursts of stress hormones like adrenaline keep the heart from contracting properly.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for contract
Noun
That team, likely one with cap space, such as the Brooklyn Nets or Detroit Pistons, would also likely add draft capital for taking on those contracts.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
In 2013, the club signed a 25-year, $8.35 billion contract with what is now Spectrum.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 30 May 2025
Verb
Why did Peter Krause leave 9-1-1? During season 8, episode 15, Bobby died from a rare, deadly virus called Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) after contracting it during a lab fire response.
—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 16 May 2025
Experts believe that broken heart syndrome occurs when bursts of stress hormones like adrenaline keep the heart from contracting properly.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for contract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contract
Noun
-
And to celebrate the holiday, restaurants across the country have deals and freebies.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
29 May 2025
-
The company also plans to acquire Hailey Bieber’s beauty brand Rhode in a deal worth up to $1 billion .—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
29 May 2025
Noun
-
In law enforcement, the legally binding agreements, approved by all parties, typically stem from Justice Department investigations into widespread patterns of misconduct.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
-
The agreements, called consent decrees, are used as a monitoring system at police departments where the Justice Department has found a pattern of misconduct.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
21 May 2025
-
First, PFAs-free gear is hard to get because just one manufacturer currently is making it.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
The fish that shrank, the study found, had a much higher chance of surviving.—
Benji Jones,
Vox,
23 May 2025
-
The layoffs of tens of thousands of staff across the federal government are a critical piece of a push by the Republican president and billionaire adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to shrink the federal government and drastically cut spending.—
Daniel Wiessner,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
Eventually, they were so thoroughly compressed that nuclear fusion got going—and boom, the very first stars lit up the universe.—
Robin George Andrews,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 May 2025
-
Costello neatly compressed the clichés of political pop.—
Armond White,
National Review,
28 May 2025
Verb
-
That would allow monopsony on the buyer side to bargain with monopoly on the seller side.—
John C. Goodman,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
-
The changes were enforced unilaterally with Starbucks failing to bargain with union members over the new policy, the group said.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Sacbee.com,
20 May 2025
Noun
-
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported the Cubs offered Crow-Armstrong a guarantee in the range of $60-70 million in March before talks were tabled.—
Phil Rogers,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
-
Back injuries are tricky, and there are no guarantees.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
Moscow’s stationing fission or fusion bombs in orbit would violate the Outer Space Treaty - the fundamental international pact that governs space missions across the solar system.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
Yet, the average deal for an F1 team generated $6.22 million, more than eight times the average pact for an NFL team, which is $745,000, the SponsorUnited report said.—
Jason Clinkscales,
Sportico.com,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contract. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share