contingent

1 of 2

adjective

con·​tin·​gent kən-ˈtin-jənt 

1

: dependent on or conditioned by something else

a contingent offer

Our plans are contingent upon the weather.

… there are bills that are contingent on other legislation or ballot measures …

—Kaitlyn Schallhorn

The contingent beneficiary receives the proceeds in the event primary beneficiary has died.

2

: likely but not certain to happen : possible

He sounded a bogey's alarm of contingent grave results.

—George Meredith

3

logic : not necessary : not true a priori

especially : capable of being proved true or false only by experience : empirical

4

a

: happening by chance or unforeseen causes

b

: subject to chance or unseen effects : unpredictable

If you ask a bunch of experts to predict the cost of a technology 10 years from now, they're all over the map. … There's just so much that is contingent and unknowable.

—Peter Fairley

c

: intended for use in circumstances not completely foreseen

contingent funds

That's because contingent workers can be added or fired quickly without the need to pay benefits, or severance in the event of layoffs.

—Paul Davidson

5

philosophy : not necessitated : determined by free choice

contingently adverb

contingent

2 of 2

noun

1

: a representative group : delegation, detachment

a diplomatic contingent

Last year, 200 floats, bands and other contingents participated.

—Will Johnson

2

: something contingent (see contingent entry 1) : contingency

Synonyms of contingent

Adjective

• dependent
• conditional
• subject (to)

Noun

• delegation

Choose the Right Synonym for contingent

accidental, fortuitous, casual, contingent mean not amenable to planning or prediction.

accidental stresses chance.

any resemblance to actual persons is entirely accidental

fortuitous so strongly suggests chance that it often connotes entire absence of cause.

a series of fortuitous events

casual stresses lack of real or apparent premeditation or intent.

a casual encounter with a stranger

contingent suggests possibility of happening but stresses uncertainty and dependence on other future events for existence or occurrence.

the contingent effects of the proposed law

Examples of contingent in a Sentence

Adjective

The isolation and co-optation of the capitalist classes in Germany meant that liberty as an ideal had no contingent link with capitalism, as had happened in Western Europe. —Orlando Patterson, New Republic, 8 Nov. 1999

He knows that the throngs cheering for him today will be cheering for someone else tomorrow, that enthusiasm is fickle, that real support for someone like him always has something completely contingent about it. —Andrew Sullivan, New Republic, 8 July 1996

Clearly the President was chastened by the sorrow and resentment of the people to whom he spoke, but his words were somehow tentative and contingent, as if they could be withdrawn on a month's notice. —Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, July 1992

Every undogmatic historian is aware of the multitude of contingent events that entered into the victory of the Bolshevik revolution. —Sidney Hook, Revolution, Reform & Social Justice, 1975

If the Sovereigns would grant him, contingent on his success, such rank, titles, and property that he and his issue could hold up their heads with the Spanish nobility, well and good … —Samuel Eliot Morison, The European Discovery of America, 1974

the train's scheduled departure is contingent on the prompt fixing of the mechanical fault

Noun

Hollywood, Madison Avenue, the FCC, and a growing contingent in corporate America: It's hard to imagine a more formidable alliance pushing segregated television. —Tamar Jacoby, New Republic, 24 Jan. 2000

A Maori contingent, unable to face the intensity of the Turkish fire, sought shelter in a nearby gully. —Martin Gilbert, The First World War, 1994

But just because we banned it [DDT] domestically, under pressure from the bird-watching contingent … it doesn't necessarily follow that the rest of the world was about to jump on the bandwagon. —T. Coraghessan Boyle, Harper's, April 1993

The group that makes up the largest contingent of voters in this area is the elderly.

A contingent of reporters waited in front of the court for the defendant to appear.

A British contingent was sent to assist the security forces.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But because those laws are contingent on congressional approval, the year-round observation isn’t currently implemented in any state so far. —Chantelle Lee, Time, 31 Oct. 2025

Universities have been told their federal funding is contingent on adopting anti-transgender policies on issues like bathroom access. —NPR, 30 Oct. 2025

Noun

This year’s Academy Museum Gala also welcomed a strong contingent of music stars and internet favorites, including Addison Rae, Charli XCX, Ed Sheeran, Hailey Bieber, Hilary Duff, Kendall Jenner, Jenna Ortega, Olivia Rodrigo, Role Model and Selena Gomez. —Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025

His header from a delicious Fernandes cross sent the away contingent into raptures, celebrations that were maintained when Gapko nodded wide of a gaping net moments later. —Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin contingent-, contingens "dependent on circumstances, occurring by chance," going back to Latin, present participle of contingere "to be in contact with, arrive at, affect, fall to one's lot, come about, happen," from con- con- + tangere "to touch, border on, arrive at, reach" — more at tangent entry 2

Noun

(sense 1) borrowed from French, "portion that falls to one as a return, part given or received in a common effort, body of troops contributed by an ally," noun derivative of contingent, adjective, "falling to someone as a share, dependent, contingent entry 1"; (sense 2) noun derivative of contingent entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for contingent

• astringent
• birefringent
• stringent

Kids Definition

contingent

1 of 2 adjective

con·​tin·​gent kən-ˈtin-jənt 

: depending on something else

plans contingent on the weather

contingently adverb

contingent

2 of 2 noun

: a number of persons representing or drawn from an area or group

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English contingent "uncertain," from early French contingent "touching, happening," derived from Latin contingere "to have contact with, affect, happen" — related to contact, contagious

Legal Definition

contingent

adjective

con·​tin·​gent kən-ˈtin-jənt 

1

: likely but not certain to happen compare executory

2

: intended for use in circumstances not completely foreseen

a contingent fund

3

: dependent on or conditioned by something else

a contingent claim

a legacy contingent on the marriage

compare vested