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
In May, the official gauge on manufacturing activity also slowed to 50, the threshold separating expansion from contraction.
—
Anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 June 2026
Dubai has highly irregular, more frequent cycles of expansion and contraction.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026
Driving this contraction is the Iran war, which has now stretched into its fourth month.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 8 June 2026
The Lord met us through every contraction, every intervention and answered our prayers in a way that my 'perfect birth' couldn’t have.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 June 2026
Dubai has highly irregular, more frequent cycles of expansion and contraction.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026
Driving this contraction is the Iran war, which has now stretched into its fourth month.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 8 June 2026
The Lord met us through every contraction, every intervention and answered our prayers in a way that my 'perfect birth' couldn’t have.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contraction
Noun
-
The fabric and waistband gently smooth your curves, providing light core compression without sacrificing comfort.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Body camera video shows officers rotating in and out to keep compressions going without rest.—
Alexa Liacko,
CBS News,
10 Dec. 2025
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
-
This pain is usually described as a squeezing, pressing, or burning pain in the center of the chest or just below the center of the rib cage.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
16 July 2025
Noun
-
The club’s involvement in this matter was limited to the contracting of that coverage with Howden.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
9 June 2026
-
This process takes a customer from initial proposal through contracting, fulfillment, invoicing, and revenue recognition.—
Adrienne Down Coulson,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Storing batteries in the fridge can cause condensation, leading to corrosion and damage over time.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
14 June 2026
-
His eyes had rested on a flimsy plastic cup that had been abandoned on the sink, holding ragged lime slices and a slush of ice that was causing little beads of condensation to form on its sides.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
But the war in Iran is causing an ongoing oil supply squeeze that is adding to the woes of summer travelers already feeling the economic heat, with the high cost of fuel piling onto inflationary pressures and cost-of-living concerns.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
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Meanwhile, destination outlet malls managed to hold steady despite the economic squeeze on working-class wallets.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
11 June 2026
Noun
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With all the news on declining alcohol consumption and the constriction of craft beer, McEfee is optimistic Balance will have its place.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
-
Adrenaline speeds up peristalsis, the contractions and constrictions of the intestines, while blood is diverted from the digestive system, which can cause nausea.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
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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 17 Jun. 2026.
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