as in compression
the act or process of reducing the size or volume of something by or as if by pressing
most substances undergo contraction when cooled
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contraction
What’s more, the timing of this latest data coincides with a new bout of contraction: The Post is also eliminating its Metro section, folding local news coverage into a hybrid that combines Metro, Sports, and Style.
—
Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Located about 500 light years away, the Chamaeleon Complex is a giant molecular gas cloud, within which stars form when pockets of cool molecular gas, mostly hydrogen, undergo gravitational contraction and condense, thus birthing a star.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 16 June 2025
Monthly business surveys for May showed contraction in the labor market across the board, especially as factories navigate U.S. tariffs.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 15 June 2025
The drop was largely due to a contraction in the services sector, which took a knock after the government ended a tax break for some home buyers.
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Located about 500 light years away, the Chamaeleon Complex is a giant molecular gas cloud, within which stars form when pockets of cool molecular gas, mostly hydrogen, undergo gravitational contraction and condense, thus birthing a star.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 16 June 2025
Monthly business surveys for May showed contraction in the labor market across the board, especially as factories navigate U.S. tariffs.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 15 June 2025
The drop was largely due to a contraction in the services sector, which took a knock after the government ended a tax break for some home buyers.
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contraction
Noun
-
In the short term, Nike anticipates a decrease in Q1 sales by a mid-single-digit percentage, with gross margin compression ranging from 3.5 to 4.25 percentage points, including a 1-point impact from tariffs.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
-
In contrast, the 7-Zip Beta compression/decompression benchmark shows tremendous gains in file-compression performance with the DDR5 kit.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Employees had to discard a box of leafy greens after condensation from an evaporator was seen dripping onto the vegetables.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Additionally, wet windows can accumulate condensation overnight, potentially ruining your hard work.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
The song officially released last Friday, includes a dig at her ex-husband Offset and name-drops her new squeeze, New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
23 June 2025
-
As consumers got ready for Christmas, their focus shifted to gifting and holiday hosting, buying gift wrap cutters, mini strings of lights, sensory squeeze toys, and emergency fire blankets.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
21 June 2025
Noun
-
But labor force growth was capped by constriction in several sectors.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
3 July 2025
-
There’s a satisfying constriction in these which feels immersive to me as a reader, and as a writer affords the space to fixate on minutia that might not be appropriate in something more expansive.—
Jane Ciabattari
June 24,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
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On Contractions of Multiple Words
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Cite this Entry
“Contraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contraction. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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