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
Manufacturing fell further into contraction in April, reaching a five-month low, according to a survey of manufacturers released Thursday by the Institute for Supply Management.
—
Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 2 May 2025
Economists are holding up recent data pointing to a contraction in the U.S. economy as evidence that concerns over a recession caused by President Donald Trump's tariffs may be beginning to materialize.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
Meanwhile, federal data released earlier this week revealed that the U.S. contracted at a 0.3% annual rate in the first quarter of 2025, marking the first contraction in three years.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 May 2025
At that time, the momentary contraction reflected an economy lurching from one crisis (Covid) to another (inflation).
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 2 May 2025
Economists are holding up recent data pointing to a contraction in the U.S. economy as evidence that concerns over a recession caused by President Donald Trump's tariffs may be beginning to materialize.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
Meanwhile, federal data released earlier this week revealed that the U.S. contracted at a 0.3% annual rate in the first quarter of 2025, marking the first contraction in three years.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 May 2025
At that time, the momentary contraction reflected an economy lurching from one crisis (Covid) to another (inflation).
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contraction
Noun
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Participants will learn how to perform high-quality compressions on an adult, child and infant, use an automatic external defibrillator (AED) and aid someone who is choking.—
Jake Richardson,
Mercury News,
12 May 2025
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As explained to us by Simon Newton, the director of vehicle performance, this iteration of the engine features cylinder heads, cam profiles, compression ratios, and turbos that have all been modified.—
Jonny Lieberman,
Robb Report,
12 May 2025
Noun
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Later on, another neighbor, before entering the house, pressed her nose up against the glass on the door and used her finger to draw a heart in the condensation.—
Rhaina Cohen,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2025
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Leaks and condensation need to be addressed by a professional since mold can cause health problems.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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With consumers growing more wary about spending, and tariffs creating new pressures on costs, consumer goods firms are facing a squeeze.—
Stephen Wunker,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
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The Athletic examines the new squeeze on football’s calendar.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
8 May 2025
Noun
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The tariffs had arrived like a slow leak — not a headline crisis, but a steady constriction that made every deal just a little worse for a dealership already on edge.—
Eli Saslow,
New York Times,
4 May 2025
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The plain and active meaning of the word cannot be diluted by its constriction, as the government would have it, to a narrow term of art.—
TIME Staff,
Time,
18 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Contraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contraction. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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