contracted 1 of 2

contracted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of contract
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as in agreed
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 & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 contracted
Verb
Once contracted, the parasite basically results in a bathroom nightmare. Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 15 July 2026 The median size of a new home sold has contracted to around 2,400 square feet, down from roughly 2,500 in 2022 and 2,700 in the mid-2010s. Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 15 July 2026 Legionnaires’ disease is a form of pneumonia typically contracted by inhaling tiny water droplets contaminated with Legionella bacteria. Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026 About 60% of the cases in Mecklenburg were contracted outside the United States. Eva Flowe july 14, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026 Instead, the four-person crew will spend about two weeks testing out rendezvous and docking procedures with prototypes for the two Artemis moon landers, both of which have been privately contracted by NASA. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 13 July 2026 The first American infected with Ebola was a doctor who contracted the disease while treating patients in the DRC. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 13 July 2026 Those who have contracted cyclosporiasis have ranged in age from 5 to 86. Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026 Formed through Mnet’s survival show Boys Planet in 2023, the nine-member act was originally contracted for two and a half years, with activities scheduled to conclude in January 2026. Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contracted
Adjective
  • Under sustained acceleration, leadership teams frequently start operating within more compressed decision cycles where immediate demands dominate attention and time for reflection gradually shrinks.
    ByPaul L. Gunn, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The compressed script and the snippety editing sometimes lead to unintended comedy, as in a scene where Maxine watches Christine, the seamstress, work.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • Kansas City got just a small taste of the magnetic fever over Lionel Messi, the global superstar who is regarded as one of the best ever to kick a ball.
    PJ Green July 13, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
  • Each player got 15 swings in the second round, with batters homering on their final swings continuing until not homering.
    CBS News, CBS News, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • The bank’s workforce has shrunk by 79,000 people over the past six years.
    Catherine Muccigrosso July 15, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
  • Florida’s working-age population — those between 18 and 64 — is estimated to have shrunk between 2023 and 2025, reducing the size of the state’s workforce, according to recent projections from the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
    Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
Verb
  • But if rates stay high for an extended period, more marginal borrowers can be squeezed by interest servicing costs.
    Hugh Leask, CNBC, 14 July 2026
  • Others in Stuyimby came through the experience of watching their parents get squeezed by the market.
    Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 13 July 2026
Verb
  • The Democratic candidate for Agriculture Commissioner, Clayton Tucker, agreed.
    Jack Fink, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • The payout, which the county agreed to in March, settled a 2023 lawsuit filed by the mother and children of Sherrano Stingley, who died after deputies detained him in a south Sacramento driveway in December 2022.
    Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 13 July 2026
Adjective
  • While cake is cooling, whisk together cold water, sweetened condensed milk, and pudding mix in a large bowl until smooth.
    Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
  • The gallery presents a condensed history of blue-and-white ceramics globally in dishes, starting in the Middle East with a 9th century Iraqi piece.
    Stephanie Shih June 17, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • But attorneys Reid Kingsbury for Payton and Linda Parisi for Martin argued the two men, though armed that night, were caught in a burst of spontaneous gunfire triggered by Sergio Harris and fired back to defend themselves.
    Darrell Smith July 16, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
  • SpaceX has caught Super Heavy three times to date, but it's been a while; the last such snag came on Flight 8 in March 2025.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 July 2026
Verb
  • Only two items tracked by the Farm Bureau decreased in price in 2026.
    Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
  • Procurement and Obsolescence Savings At one company, obsolescence in both raw materials and finished goods decreased by 30%.
    Steve Banker, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Contracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contracted. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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