Thesaurus

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

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

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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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