subcontracting

verb

present participle of subcontract
as in contracting
to come to an agreement with another person or company to do part of a job that you have been hired to do Parts of the project were subcontracted (out) to specialists.

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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 subcontracting To get around these requirements, some employers outsource to subcontracting firms. — Laina Gustafson, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2026 In 2024, Western intelligence officials started gathering evidence that gangs in Scandinavia were subcontracting local teen-agers to carry out Iranian directives. — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026 Unite Here Local 17, the union that represents the 500 Target Field concessions workers, says Delaware North failed to bargain in good faith by subcontracting Minnesota Funding Initiative volunteers. — Aki Nace, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 Content industries in the country are plagued by low wages, punishing hours, and subcontracting arrangements that push risk onto the most vulnerable workers. — Bobby Ghosh, Time, 7 May 2026 Echo was subcontracting, which meant long hours for thin margins. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026 But anyone subcontracting tasks to AI is clever enough to imagine what might come next—a day when augmentation crosses into automation, and cognitive obsolescence compels them to seek work at a food truck, pet spa, or massage table. — Josh Tyrangiel, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subcontracting
  1. contracting
  2. paying
  3. hiring
  4. placing
  5. recruiting
Verb
  • After contracting the plague, he was banished to a cave, where a dog brought him bread and healed his wounds by licking them.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • At a time when the supply of commercial rockets is contracting, demand for satellite launch is soaring, from megaconstellation operators such as Amazon to a flurry of small satellite startups.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of contracting
Verb
  • Historically, Miami-Dade voters haven’t been willing to endorse paying commissioners more.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Ross said many graduates also face the cost of paying for their degrees on top of their housing costs, which add up over time.
    — Roger Simmons, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of paying
Verb
  • Apparently without permission of his boss -- UA-Fayetteville Chancellor Charles Robinson or the board of trustees -- Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek approved the Razorback Foundation hiring a public relations firm.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Another possibility is that there could be some behind-the-scenes factors that the hiring manager can't share with an external candidate, like a budget cut, hiring freeze or leadership turnover, Gavin says.
    — Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of hiring
Verb
  • The measure speeds permitting approval under the California Environmental Quality Act by placing deadlines on government agencies to issue or deny permits within a year.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Jackson took over the Democratic nomination in late July, after placing third in the Democratic primary for governor.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of placing
Verb
  • This covers workforce analytics, recruiting workflows, employee surveys, learning recommendations, performance management tracking, succession planning and retention analysis.
    — Sophia Okeke, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Power of a name As observers in Alaska have noted, recruiting candidates with similar or identical names is not a new move.
    — Drew Kurlowski, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of recruiting

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subcontracted
subcontracting
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Cite this Entry

“Subcontracting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subcontracting. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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