contingents

Definition of contingentsnext
plural of contingent
1
as in delegations
a body of persons chosen as representatives of a larger group the local Scout troop traditionally sends a large contingent to the jamboree

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2
as in events
something that might happen officials in charge of managing the national emergency tried to prepare for every contingent, no matter how improbable

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contingents There will be over 60 contingents in the parade, and the organizers state there will be more than 5,500 artists who will be representing various cultural heritages such as Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia, Cuba, Puerto Rico and more. Jose Fabian, CBS News, 24 May 2026 That’s how many NBC ordered this season — five dramas and three comedies — and the crop may have produced as many strong series contenders as the contingents of 20-25 pilots the networks used to pick up in a single year back in the day. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 May 2026 The first military contingents of the larger, more heavily armed force with personnel drawn from several African and South Asian countries, along with Guatemala and El Salvador, are expected to arrive in Haiti in the next few days. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026 While a few small contingents represented Iowa in the war's eastern theater, the west was where Iowans mainly engaged. Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026 The force includes contingents from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Oklahoma, with units rotating in and out of the District on staggered timelines. Steven Beynon, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026 Expected to draw more than 30,000 attendees, this year’s parade will include 111 contingents and 4,500 people. Lisa Hix, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026 With athletes spread across four clusters, even the countries with larger contingents were walking in smaller numbers at each venue. Zack Pierce, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026 Those comments have caused a lot of confusion and angst among European governments—many of whom have sent small military contingents to Greenland, not really as a show of force as much as a signal of disapproval. Connor Okeeffe, Oc Register, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contingents
Noun
  • Through three tedious roll calls, Roosevelt forces bartered with delegations and finally put their man over the top on the fourth try when House Speaker John Nance Garner folded his candidacy in exchange for the vice presidential nomination.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
  • Lawmakers in New Zealand decide individually whether to join delegations traveling abroad and such visits usually include representatives from multiple political parties.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • Nobody knows how often adverse events occur, said Kristen Nixon, a Johns Hopkins University researcher who has studied posts about weight loss drugs on Reddit, a popular online forum.
    Maia Rosenfeld, NBC news, 29 May 2026
  • McCormick has booked several authors already for events at the bookshop, including local author Angela Cervantes, who has written three books for American Girl.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • The possibilities are endless, so stay curious!
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
  • Since its debut on the scene in 2025 at 10 Corso Como, the pioneering sensory design platform has become distinguished for highlighting the unexpected possibilities that coalesce when creative minds in the olfactory, art and design fields unite.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • John Scott, Brevard County’s Emergency Management Director said he — and other emergency managers across the state — plan multiple contingencies as a storm develops.
    Zach Covey, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2026
  • Think of contingencies as conditions that must be met before the sale becomes legally final.
    Jason Peters, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026
Noun
  • The best chance to minimize that risk is to identify and isolate cases as quickly as possible.
    Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 6 June 2026
  • Interruptions in antihypertensives and statins can raise heart risks over time, and in some cases lead to hypertensive emergencies.
    Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Contingents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contingents. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

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