1
as in possibilities
something that might happen
agencies trying to provide for every contingency in a national emergency
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2
as in provisions
something upon which the carrying out of an agreement or offer depends
an offer to buy the house, with the contingency that it pass inspection
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Recent Examples of contingencies
The cap prevents people from maintaining reasonable reserves to address life’s routine contingencies and financial emergencies.
—
Michael Frerichs, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
The collapse of diplomacy has forced the US and Israel to review military contingencies, including the possibility of using ground forces to retrieve nuclear material, said a European official familiar with the planning.
—Jonathan Tirone, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
Iran has spent decades constructing underground bunkers for a range of purposes and contingencies.
—Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
Any one of these grim contingencies could be a strategic blow to the United States, which depends on a network of bases in the Gulf to maintain its military power across the Middle East and Africa.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
The administration could have prepared people for the various contingencies, including casualties and economic disruption.
—David French, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
Sophisticated risk-monitoring systems scan global flashpoints, allowing operations teams to model contingencies before closures actually happen.
—Francesca Street, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
While there are contingencies that could get the Padres out of their Petco Park lease before 2033, a team official said recently that has never been explored.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
But those talks only served as contingencies to Abraham, who remained Emery’s main target.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Michael Frerichs, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
The collapse of diplomacy has forced the US and Israel to review military contingencies, including the possibility of using ground forces to retrieve nuclear material, said a European official familiar with the planning.
—Jonathan Tirone, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2026
Iran has spent decades constructing underground bunkers for a range of purposes and contingencies.
—Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
Any one of these grim contingencies could be a strategic blow to the United States, which depends on a network of bases in the Gulf to maintain its military power across the Middle East and Africa.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
The administration could have prepared people for the various contingencies, including casualties and economic disruption.
—David French, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
Sophisticated risk-monitoring systems scan global flashpoints, allowing operations teams to model contingencies before closures actually happen.
—Francesca Street, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
While there are contingencies that could get the Padres out of their Petco Park lease before 2033, a team official said recently that has never been explored.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
But those talks only served as contingencies to Abraham, who remained Emery’s main target.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contingencies
Noun
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All of which helps set the stage for Lana Ferguson’s Business Sunday stellar cover story, which spotlights how one corner of Northeast Texas has become an epicenter of the possibilities of lithium production, and some of the challenges therein.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Mar. 2026
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Presently, the United States and Israel are doing the right thing in militarily ending all possibilities that Iran will be able to continue weaponizing uranium and manufacturing long-range ballistic missiles.—
Bill Keane,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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While startups await the president’s signature and agencies anticipate the bill’s new provisions, researchers are trying to stay afloat, some furloughing scientists until the funding becomes available.—
Noelle Harff,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Mar. 2026
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Annual contribution caps, even with catch-up provisions, restrict how much can be invested each year.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This heat wave is so extreme that it would only be expected to occur once about every 500 years in the current climate, according to World Weather Attribution, a group of scientists who study links between extreme weather events and climate change.—
Mira Rojanasakul,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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The issue has not been detailed, but such events are expected during early-stage testing of experimental aircraft.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There have been outbreaks of tuberculosis and measles at the site, and ICE officers have used the dangerously subpar conditions to pressure detainees to sign papers authorizing their deportation.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
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With heavy snow and blizzard conditions expected in the Twin Cities starting late Saturday and lasting through the day on Sunday, there was concern about whether the Maple Leafs’ team plane would be able to arrive as scheduled after Toronto played a Saturday night game in Buffalo.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The other agent graduated from the FBI Academy in 2018 and at the time of his firing was working on public corruption cases and had directly briefed Patel on a particular investigation.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
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The town is now actively monitoring water use, using smart meters in some cases and on-the-ground enforcement in others.—
Jamie Leary,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The lawsuit says that HHS' declaration seeks to coerce providers to stop providing gender-affirming care and circumvent legal requirements for policy changes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Democrats contend that the legislation will disenfranchise many of their voters because of its strict requirements for proving one’s identity and citizenship.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contingencies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contingencies. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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