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 school has already advertised for subcontractor bids and hopes to break ground next month. — Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026

The collaboration is being carried out through the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy CURIE Program, with Case Western Reserve University leading additional funding and SHINE participating as a subcontractor. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026

The peer review program for OJP and OVW is currently administered through two contracts with a company known as BETAH and its subcontractor, Leidos. — Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026

The prime contractor will find subcontractors in as many congressional districts as possible to grease the skids through key committees. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2026

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