subcontract

1 of 2

noun

sub·​con·​tract ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt 

: a contract between a party to an original contract and a third party

especially : one to provide all or a specified part of the work or materials required in the original contract

subcontract

2 of 2

verb

sub·​con·​tract ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt 

ˌsəb-kən-ˈtrakt

subcontracted; subcontracting; subcontracts

intransitive verb

: to let out or undertake work under a subcontract

transitive verb

1

: to engage a third party to perform under a subcontract all or part of (work included in an original contract)

—sometimes used with out

2

: to undertake (work) under a subcontract

Examples of subcontract in a Sentence

Verb

The large firm subcontracted with a smaller company.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The team examined $160 million worth of prime contracts, subcontracts and procurements that the city awarded during the period from 2019 through 2023. —Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2025

Prime contractors are already writing CMMC into their subcontracts. —Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025

Verb

Next, there is the architectural designer who subcontracts out the filing of plans to license holders. —Richard Olsen, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025

Smaller service firms and integrators now subcontract expert technicians for field retrofits, rather than keep them on permanent payroll. —Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1660, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1842, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for subcontract

• artefact
• artifact
• counteract
• inexact
• interact
• noncontact
• reenact
• abstract
• attacked
• attract
• contact
• contract

Kids Definition

subcontract

noun

sub·​con·​tract

ˈsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt,

-ˌkän-

: a contract between a party to an original contract and a third party who usually agrees to supply work or materials required in the original contract

subcontract

ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt

ˈsəb-;

ˌsəb-kən-ˈtrakt

verb

subcontractor

ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər

ˈsəb-;

ˌsəb-kən-ˈtrak-tər

noun

Legal Definition

subcontract

noun

sub·​con·​tract ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt 

: a contract between a party to an original contract and a third party that assigns part of the performance (as building a house) of the original contract to the third party

subcontract

ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt, -kən-ˈtrakt 

verb