as in squeezing
the act or process of reducing the size or volume of something by or as if by pressing
the contracting of the time frame for the primaries tends to favor candidates who are already well-known
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in getting
to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
before vaccines were invented, people lived in fear of contracting polio
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shrinking
to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter
metal contracts at low temperatures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in compressing
to reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together
contract the calf muscles in your legs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bargaining
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 contracting
Caitlyn Reilly, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
Since the contracting marketplace has left producers with fewer options, some in the industry suspect that Black Bear’s new shingle is mainly designed to guarantee theatrical releases for its own films.
—Gregg Goldstein, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
So why is Comcast backing Sky’s pursuit of another contracting business?
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 8 Nov. 2025
Storey said her husband, Denis, who has been doing contracting work for her business, has taken a part-time job at a Starbucks to help make ends meet.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2025
The contracting document said the call center would be located in Nashville, but did not explain why that city was selected.
—Reuters, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
The effort has also faced criticism over transparency after reports revealed that more than 2,000 people involved were required to sign nondisclosure agreements, limiting public access to spending and contracting details.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
When exposed to a magnetic field, the film acts like an actuator, contracting, bending, or folding the origami, effectively turning it into a tiny, controllable robot.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Others, like John Butkovich, tried to make a decent living working at Gacy’s contracting company.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Front Row Motorsports has locked in one of the Truck Series' fastest-rising parings, with the team contracting Layne Riggs to a multi-year deal.
—Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
For those that might eat armadillo, the chances of contracting the disease after ingesting the meat is low.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Oct. 2025
There have been no reports of humans contracting Herpes B from a wild rhesus monkey, but 50 cases of humans contracting it from the monkeys in laboratory settings have been reported.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
The heroine is an American sommelier who loses her sense of taste after contracting COVID-19 and goes to Paris for a new job.
—Danielle Postel-Vinay, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
With so many opportunities for germs to spread, contracting a foodborne illness from eating at a restaurant is not unheard of.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Only the structures that were already gravitationally bound together at that moment, not including the structures that were still collapsing and contracting on their way to becoming gravitationally bound, will actually be able to hold together.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 3 Oct. 2025
The audit found the district also didn’t look into problems with BusPatrol’s implementation of programs in New York and Pennsylvania, which were publicly documented prior to Miami-Dade schools contracting with the vendor.
—Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
Kerri VanMeveren, who owns Amazing Traditions, a government contracting business in Belton, Missouri, said her $129 monthly Obamacare premium will jump to about $700 a month next year.
—Caitlyn Reilly, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
Since the contracting marketplace has left producers with fewer options, some in the industry suspect that Black Bear’s new shingle is mainly designed to guarantee theatrical releases for its own films.
—Gregg Goldstein, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
So why is Comcast backing Sky’s pursuit of another contracting business?
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 8 Nov. 2025
Storey said her husband, Denis, who has been doing contracting work for her business, has taken a part-time job at a Starbucks to help make ends meet.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2025
The contracting document said the call center would be located in Nashville, but did not explain why that city was selected.
—Reuters, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
The effort has also faced criticism over transparency after reports revealed that more than 2,000 people involved were required to sign nondisclosure agreements, limiting public access to spending and contracting details.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
When exposed to a magnetic field, the film acts like an actuator, contracting, bending, or folding the origami, effectively turning it into a tiny, controllable robot.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Others, like John Butkovich, tried to make a decent living working at Gacy’s contracting company.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
The report shows that while overall business activity grew, employment was still contracting.
—Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Front Row Motorsports has locked in one of the Truck Series' fastest-rising parings, with the team contracting Layne Riggs to a multi-year deal.
—Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
For those that might eat armadillo, the chances of contracting the disease after ingesting the meat is low.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Oct. 2025
There have been no reports of humans contracting Herpes B from a wild rhesus monkey, but 50 cases of humans contracting it from the monkeys in laboratory settings have been reported.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
The heroine is an American sommelier who loses her sense of taste after contracting COVID-19 and goes to Paris for a new job.
—Danielle Postel-Vinay, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
With so many opportunities for germs to spread, contracting a foodborne illness from eating at a restaurant is not unheard of.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Only the structures that were already gravitationally bound together at that moment, not including the structures that were still collapsing and contracting on their way to becoming gravitationally bound, will actually be able to hold together.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 3 Oct. 2025
The audit found the district also didn’t look into problems with BusPatrol’s implementation of programs in New York and Pennsylvania, which were publicly documented prior to Miami-Dade schools contracting with the vendor.
—Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contracting
Noun
-
Hassan’s team instead squeezed a photon’s intensity and demonstrated real-time control, fluctuating between intensity and phase-squeezing by adjusting the silica’s position relative to the beams.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Big Ten pushed for a model that would have each power conference receive multiple automatic bids, with the Big Ten and SEC each receiving four and the ACC and Big 12 each getting two.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
-
And the back part of that is that the most fun is getting to act opposite people who are incredibly good, which is true for this cast.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
To add 5,000 homes, millions of square feet of office space, half a million square feet of retail and 1,000 hotel rooms, developers cut down 1,400 acres of forest in a city where the tree canopy is steadily shrinking.—
Khadejeh Nikouyeh,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Its high cost is due to a combination of huge demand and shrinking stocks, coupled with a laborious extraction process.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
According to the team, the process mimics the geological conditions that form fossil fuels, compressing wet biomass at high temperatures and pressures to produce biocrude.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The mass on the ovary can also push onto the urinary system, compressing your bladder and creating a feeling of having to urinate constantly.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Allina and Doctors Council-SEIU have been bargaining a first contract since February of 2024.—
Imani Cruzen,
Twin Cities,
5 Nov. 2025
-
That’s true so long as the two sides are bargaining in good faith.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The sock maker could also deliver compression socks, which in-flight employees have requested.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Suspension duties come courtesy of a Marzocchi setup that takes care of compression and rebound damping separately at both front and rear.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Chasing young shoppers has long been job number one in fashion — but actually catching them has never been so hard.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Marion had the breakout game, catching all three of his targets for 116 yards and a 61-yard touchdown.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
As Arizona squeezes more money from its decreasing share of river water, freighting every drop with critical industries and a booming housing market, the price of water is bound to keep climbing.—
Austin Corona,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The effect of climate change on traditional bear food sources, a steep population decline in rural areas, and the decreasing number of hunters have been cited as factors driving the rise in bear encounters.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contracting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contracting. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share