as in squeezed
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1
as in got
to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
before vaccines were invented, people lived in fear of contracting polio
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2
as in compressed
to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter
metal contracts at low temperatures
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3
as in condensed
to reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together
contract the calf muscles in your legs
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4
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contracted
Michael Biesecker, Fortune, 9 June 2026
Millions more were wasted because the government was contracted to pay the cost of meals for the camp’s maximum population of 5,000, even when the number of detainees there dropped to around 1,600, the report said.
—Michael Biesecker, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
The city has previously contracted with Open Doors to provide shelter space, and officials in the city’s office for homeless services call the nonprofit one of the city’s most valuable relationships.
—Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026
All individuals who contracted the disease during the outbreak have also fully recovered, officials reported.
—Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
Reporters provided the lists of crashes to Transdev, Boston Public Schools and transit agencies, and used other sources to confirm that Transdev was contracted to run buses at the time of the crashes.
—Willoughby Mariano, ProPublica, 8 June 2026
The other two cases were identified in nurses who contracted Ebola in the United States after treating a patient in Dallas.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
The majority of them had contracted the Ebola virus outside the United States.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Separately, the county has contracted with UC San Diego to conduct an Exposure Characterization Study examining what airborne chemicals communities in Imperial Beach, San Ysidro and Nestor are being exposed to, and at what levels.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
Verb
The agencies wasted millions more because it was contracted to pay the cost of meals for the camp’s maximum population of 5,000, even when the number of detainees there dropped to around 1,600, the report said.
—Michael Biesecker, Fortune, 9 June 2026
Millions more were wasted because the government was contracted to pay the cost of meals for the camp’s maximum population of 5,000, even when the number of detainees there dropped to around 1,600, the report said.
—Michael Biesecker, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
The city has previously contracted with Open Doors to provide shelter space, and officials in the city’s office for homeless services call the nonprofit one of the city’s most valuable relationships.
—Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026
All individuals who contracted the disease during the outbreak have also fully recovered, officials reported.
—Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
Reporters provided the lists of crashes to Transdev, Boston Public Schools and transit agencies, and used other sources to confirm that Transdev was contracted to run buses at the time of the crashes.
—Willoughby Mariano, ProPublica, 8 June 2026
The other two cases were identified in nurses who contracted Ebola in the United States after treating a patient in Dallas.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
The majority of them had contracted the Ebola virus outside the United States.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Separately, the county has contracted with UC San Diego to conduct an Exposure Characterization Study examining what airborne chemicals communities in Imperial Beach, San Ysidro and Nestor are being exposed to, and at what levels.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contracted
Adjective
-
Unlike many recent Olympic hosts that faced compressed planning timelines, LA28 has benefited from a longer preparation runway.—
Tim Genske,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
Workflow Load and Cognitive Strain Pharmacy professionals manage verification, patient counseling, insurance adjudication, and regulatory documentation within compressed timeframes.—
Ethan Stone
June 3,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Root got a strike past Babe, and did those Cub bench jockeys holler and hiss!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
The moment came in the fifth inning when Freeland got Milwaukee third baseman Luis Rengifo to fly out to deep center field.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
8 June 2026
Verb
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As the Spurs lead shrunk, the roar of the crowd inside MSG raged.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
-
Caffeine boosted cycling power output at first, but the advantage steadily shrank, and by the second and third weeks the same dose produced a smaller performance benefit.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Profits are squeezed because of the RAM crisis and Samsung has responded with price increases and weaker deals.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
As the fans beyond it jumped to their feet with their hands raised, Reynolds reached over and squeezed his glove shut around what would have been the go-ahead home run.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Willows officials said Grant Carmon, board chair, agreed to the meeting; county and sheriff’s officials would not agree to meet.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
-
The president’s threats followed back-and-forth strikes this week that had rendered a temporary ceasefire agreed to in early April all but meaningless.—
Aamer Madhani,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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The center describes its three-week immersion as a way to develop, in a condensed window, the practices and behaviors that might otherwise take years to build through outpatient therapy alone.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
20 May 2026
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Some mathematicians consider these to be even more significant than condensed sets.—
Konstantin Kakaes,
Quanta Magazine,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Running back Jonathon Brooks, who is returning from back-to-back ACL surgeries on his right knee, caught a pass across the middle from Young and blazed down the field through traffic.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
-
The Knicks trailed, 81-52, when Wembanyama’s elbow caught Towns in the chin, resulting in a flagrant foul.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The sentence was decreased to 30 years weeks later.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
-
Brunson, meanwhile, has also received attention for his propensity to draw fouls, but his reliance in that area has decreased.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contracted. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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