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contract

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of contract

1 a formal agreement to fulfill an obligation
  • accused her of breaking their contract by not completing the decorating job on budget
Synonyms of contract

bond, covenant, deal, guarantee, guaranty, surety, warranty
Words Related to contract

oath, pledge, troth, vow, word

accord, bargain, compact, concordat, convention, pact, treaty

assurance, insurance, seal

bail, deposit, pawn, security
2 an arrangement about action to be taken
  • a contract outlining what needed to be done by each person
Synonyms of contract

accord, agreement, bargain, compact, convention, covenant, deal, disposition, pact, settlement, understanding
Words Related to contract

charter, treaty

binder, pledge, promise

alliance, association, entente, entente cordiale, league, partnership

acceptance, approval, assent, concurrence, consent, OK (or okay)

contract

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of contract

1 to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
  • before vaccines were invented, people lived in fear of contracting polio
Synonyms of contract

catch, come down (with), get, go down (with) [chiefly British], sicken (with), take
Words Related to contract

break out (with)

die (from), succumb (to)

fail, languish, sink, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, worsen
Near Antonyms of contract

come back, gain, heal, mend, recoup, recover, recuperate, snap back

rally, rebound, recover (from), shake (off)
2 to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter
  • metal contracts at low temperatures
Synonyms of contract

compress, condense, constrict, shrink
Words Related to contract

collapse, deflate, flatten

dry up, shrivel, wilt, wither

abate, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen

recede, retreat, withdraw
Near Antonyms of contract

accumulate, grow, increase

balloon, inflate, puff (up)
Antonyms of contract

balloon, expand, snowball, swell
3 to reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together
  • contract the calf muscles in your legs
Synonyms of contract

capsule, capsulize, collapse, compact, compress, condense, constrict, constringe, narrow (down), squeeze, telescope
Words Related to contract

cram, crowd, jam, jam-pack, pack

abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten

boil down, downsize, shrink

concentrate, consolidate

simplify, streamline

decrease, diminish, lessen
Near Antonyms of contract

dilate, disperse, dissipate, scatter

distend, inflate, swell
Antonyms of contract

decompress, expand, open, outspread, outstretch
4 to come to an arrangement as to a course of action
  • the farmer contracted for delivery of the hay by the first of July
Synonyms of contract

agree, bargain, covenant
Words Related to contract

come around, come round

subscribe, underwrite

arrange, settle
Phrases Synonymous with contract

come to terms, strike a bargain
Near Antonyms of contract

differ, dissent

cancel, renege, revoke

argue, contest, dispute, object
Antonyms of contract

disagree

Synonym Discussion of contract

contract, shrink, condense, compress, constrict, deflate mean to decrease in bulk or volume. contract applies to a drawing together of surfaces or particles or a reduction of area or length.
    • caused her muscles to contract
shrink implies a contracting or a loss of material and stresses a falling short of original dimensions.
    • the sweater will shrink when washed
condense implies a reducing of something homogeneous to greater compactness without significant loss of content.
    • condense the essay into a paragraph
compress implies a pressing into a small compass and definite shape usually against resistance.
    • compressed cotton into bales
constrict implies a tightening that reduces diameter.
    • the throat is constricted by a tight collar
deflate implies a contracting by reducing the internal pressure of contained air or gas.
    • deflate the balloon

Learn More about contract

  1. See words that rhyme with contract Dictionary: Definition of contract Medical Dictionary: Definition of contract Spanish Central: Translation of contract Nglish: Translation of contract for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of contract for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about contract

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