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
And the White House’s tariff plans led the likes of JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon to warn economic contraction can’t be taken off the table.
—
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Balances Prostaglandins High levels of prostaglandins (hormone-like substances) trigger uterine contractions and pain.
—Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 30 Sep. 2025
And yet, in the past decade, enrollment has begun to contract, and that contraction is expected to continue.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025
The sudden contractions between main channels and auxiliary pathways create local velocity increases and swirling patterns that actively pull water out of the gas diffusion layer while simultaneously drawing fresh oxygen toward the catalyst sites, acting like miniature vacuum pumps.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Balances Prostaglandins High levels of prostaglandins (hormone-like substances) trigger uterine contractions and pain.
—Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 30 Sep. 2025
And yet, in the past decade, enrollment has begun to contract, and that contraction is expected to continue.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025
The sudden contractions between main channels and auxiliary pathways create local velocity increases and swirling patterns that actively pull water out of the gas diffusion layer while simultaneously drawing fresh oxygen toward the catalyst sites, acting like miniature vacuum pumps.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contraction
Noun
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Over-the-counter compression stockings are not expensive and are similar to support panty hose.—
Bryant Stamford,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
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Accessories that multitask, like a scarf that doubles as a blanket, or compression socks that look like regular crew socks.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The team successfully demonstrated quantum squeezing of the motion of a nanoscale particle, a motion whose uncertainty is smaller than the quantum mechanical fluctuations usually considered the ultimate limit.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Nichole Atallah, a partner who specializes in labor and government contracting at the law firm PilieroMazza, said the general rule is that contract workers aren’t made whole after a shutdown.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
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At the meeting, school board member Danny Espino proposed contracting with the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, based in Tallahassee, which uses administrative law judges to hear challenges to traffic citations virtually.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Desert lizards evolved scales that channel condensation directly to their mouths.—
Tejasri Gururaj,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Sep. 2025
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Sisters flit in and out of the house while others gab about the new semester, sipping on iced coffees that are quickly gathering condensation.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Then there was the Weird and Wild way the Tigers manufactured their winning run, in the seventh inning Tuesday — with a Zach McKinstry squeeze bunt.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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If plain water isn’t your thing, add a squeeze of lemon or fruit slices.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Alabama gave Georgia its first home loss in six years with a 24-21 constriction; Oregon rode a pair of Moores (Dante and Dakorien) to bum out Happy Valley in extra time.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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Yet what might sound like constriction has yielded sharper collaboration.—
Jasmine Browley,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Video
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 8 Oct. 2025.
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