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con·tin·gent
kən-ˈtin-jənt 
4
a
: happening by chance or unforeseen causes
b
: subject to chance or unseen effects : unpredictable
contingently
adverb
Synonyms
Example Sentences
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and resentment of the people to whom he spoke, but his words were somehow tentative and contingent, as if they could be withdrawn on a month's notice.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
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.
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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
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.
See More
Recent Examples on the WebJared Malsin, WSJ, 13 Jan. 2023
Of course, that progress is contingent on keeping policies in place that limit those pesky ozone-depleting substances.
—Justine Calma, The Verge, 10 Jan. 2023
But expansion in Ohio has always been contingent on state interest.
—Susan Glaser, cleveland, 9 Jan. 2023
Luhrmann told Warners that his doing the movie was contingent on him finding the right person to play Elvis.
—Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2023
Her bonus also was contingent on results being canvassed by the board.
—Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 4 Jan. 2023
His power was contingent on belief, an all-or-nothing proposition that media coverage feebly reflected.
—Robin Kaiser-schatzlein, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2022
That deal – which was contingent on acquiring nearby properties – fell through after two years.
—Sue Kiesewetter, The Enquirer, 22 Dec. 2022
After receiving the job offer, his hiring was contingent on passing a physical exam and a drug screening conducted by a third-party company, the Occupational Health Center, the EEOC said.
—Julia Marnin The Charlotte Observer (tns), al, 21 Dec. 2022
Dallas News, 27 July 2022
Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh lead the best female actor contingent.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2023
Interest from California skyrocketed with the Golden State comprising the second-biggest contingent after Texas.
—Dallas News, 8 Jan. 2023
Payne, ever the activist, helped organize the city’s contingent for a March on Washington in 1941.
—Kovie Biakolo, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2023
There has been a corresponding increase in the proportion of what are known as contingent faculty, who aren’t tenured or on a path to it — instructors, lecturers, teaching faculty who don’t do research and adjuncts — from 47% in 1987 to 67% in 2020.
—Daniel Golden, ProPublica, 3 Jan. 2023
Nance served as a photographer for the U.S. contingent of the North American delegation and created one of the most comprehensive photographic accounts of the month-long festival.
—Andy Saunders, Time, 21 Dec. 2022
The strike was closely watched by colleges and universities across the country as labor unrest among contingent faculty and graduate student employees has simmered.
—Douglas Belkin, WSJ, 17 Dec. 2022
On Tuesday, the wrestling contingent from Unalaska doubled.
—Chris Bieri, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Dec. 2022
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Adjective
Congress’s approval of the sale is contingent on Turkey’s acquiescence, administration officials said.
—Jared Malsin, WSJ, 13 Jan. 2023
Of course, that progress is contingent on keeping policies in place that limit those pesky ozone-depleting substances.
—Justine Calma, The Verge, 10 Jan. 2023
But expansion in Ohio has always been contingent on state interest.
—Susan Glaser, cleveland, 9 Jan. 2023
Luhrmann told Warners that his doing the movie was contingent on him finding the right person to play Elvis.
—Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2023
Her bonus also was contingent on results being canvassed by the board.
—Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 4 Jan. 2023
His power was contingent on belief, an all-or-nothing proposition that media coverage feebly reflected.
—Robin Kaiser-schatzlein, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2022
That deal – which was contingent on acquiring nearby properties – fell through after two years.
—Sue Kiesewetter, The Enquirer, 22 Dec. 2022
After receiving the job offer, his hiring was contingent on passing a physical exam and a drug screening conducted by a third-party company, the Occupational Health Center, the EEOC said.
—Julia Marnin The Charlotte Observer (tns), al, 21 Dec. 2022
Noun
The arrangement was not welcomed by some of NorthPark’s future neighbors, a contingent of whom was not keen on the idea of a 93-acre shopping center with 7,000 parking spaces.
—Dallas News, 27 July 2022
Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh lead the best female actor contingent.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2023
Interest from California skyrocketed with the Golden State comprising the second-biggest contingent after Texas.
—Dallas News, 8 Jan. 2023
Payne, ever the activist, helped organize the city’s contingent for a March on Washington in 1941.
—Kovie Biakolo, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2023
There has been a corresponding increase in the proportion of what are known as contingent faculty, who aren’t tenured or on a path to it — instructors, lecturers, teaching faculty who don’t do research and adjuncts — from 47% in 1987 to 67% in 2020.
—Daniel Golden, ProPublica, 3 Jan. 2023
Nance served as a photographer for the U.S. contingent of the North American delegation and created one of the most comprehensive photographic accounts of the month-long festival.
—Andy Saunders, Time, 21 Dec. 2022
The strike was closely watched by colleges and universities across the country as labor unrest among contingent faculty and graduate student employees has simmered.
—Douglas Belkin, WSJ, 17 Dec. 2022
On Tuesday, the wrestling contingent from Unalaska doubled.
—Chris Bieri, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Dec. 2022
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'contingent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Noun
1548, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of contingent was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near contingent
Cite this Entry
“Contingent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contingent. Accessed 30 Jan. 2023.
Kids Definition
contingent
1 of 2 adjective
con·tin·gent
kən-ˈtin-jənt
contingently
adverb
contingent
2 of 2 noun
: a number of persons representing or drawn from an area or group
Legal Definition
contingent
adjective
con·tin·gent
kən-ˈtin-jənt
More from Merriam-Webster on contingent
Nglish: Translation of contingent for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of contingent for Arabic Speakers
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