subcontractor

noun sub·con·trac·tor \ ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər , ˌsəb-kən-ˈtrak- \

|Updated on: 5 Aug 2018

Definition of subcontractor

: an individual or business firm contracting to perform part or all of another's contract

Recent Examples of subcontractor from the Web

But the contractor building the new shelters ran into problems, particularly with one subcontractor who had no experience constructing the type of buildings planned for the shelters.

— hannah natanson, Washington Post, "Lawmaker calls for delaying demolition near D.C. General until shelter residents are out," 9 July 2018
The repercussions of that company’s demise are still being felt; its myriad subcontractors are thought to be £2bn ($2.6bn) out of pocket.

— The Economist, "Britain’s outsourcing model, copied around the world, is in trouble," 28 June 2018
In a similar investigation a couple of decades ago, Nike was accused of using sweatshops to make its apparel and shoes, claims the brand initially denied while distancing itself from some subcontractors.

— lorraine mirabella, baltimoresun.com, "Supermarket giants play role in mistreatment of global food workers, report says," 20 June 2018
The theft of the data, which occurred earlier this year, is also raising questions about the ability of the U.S. military to safeguard data controlled by contractors and subcontractors, according to U.S. officials.

— gordon lubold, WSJ, "Chinese Hackers Stole Large Amounts of Secret U.S. Submarine-Warfare Data, Military Says," 8 June 2018
The AT&T Center itself was in the midst of a more than $110 million-plus renovation that year and contractors and subcontractors were desperate for labor to make their schedule.

— lynn brezosky, San Antonio Express-News, "Employers no longer drawing the line on criminal backgrounds," 29 May 2018
The McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act of 1965 mandates that contractors and subcontractors pay service employees no less than the wage rates and fringe benefits found prevailing in a community where the work is performed.

— carl prine, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Feds settle case with I.T. contractor over wages at Camp Pendleton and elsewhere," 2 Apr. 2018
Any permits pulled by the contractor and subcontractors will need to be pulled again by the new crew.

— steven sclaroff, New York Times, "Advice for Renovating Your Home," 7 Mar. 2018
The same group will also take care of all the relevant domestic interactions between RKK Energia and its subcontractors.

— anatoly zak, Ars Technica, "Russia pushing to partner with NASA on lunar gateway," 5 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'subcontractor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.