subcontractor

noun

sub·​con·​trac·​tor ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər 

ˌsəb-kən-ˈtrak-

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

Examples of subcontractor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The owner of a former Dohn school building filed a lawsuit early this year against a subcontractor hired to revamp the building in a dispute over work that went unpaid for. —Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

Meanwhile, contractors and subcontractors throughout the construction food chain are finding a small labor pool heading into the summer season. —Kevin Williams, CNBC, 27 June 2025

The town of Stratford will use this award to conduct community outreach and hire a subcontractor to manage invasive species in preparation for future native tree plantings. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025

Day laborers are not the workers on massive construction projects, more likely to be picked up by subcontractors who need help painting or reframing closets. —Kevin Williams, CNBC, 27 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for subcontractor

• benefactor
• chiropractor
• malefactor
• multifactor
• acter
• actor
• factor
• tractor
• attractor
• cofactor
• compactor
• contactor

Legal Definition

subcontractor

noun

: one (as an individual or business) that contracts to perform part or all of the obligations of another's contract