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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Recent Examples of subcontracting
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
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
Verb
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Key Facts The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Monsanto—which no longer exists as a separate entity after being bought by Bayer—in a 7-2 ruling, after a man sued the company after contracting non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
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Symptoms may still appear up to two weeks after first contracting the virus, health officials say.
Verb
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Not trade unions, which ought to realize licensure reform will ultimately lead to more dues-paying members.
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No other white author of the late 19th century engaged so fully with the Black community, whether in promoting the Fisk Jubilee Singers or paying expenses for a Black student at Yale Law School.
Verb
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Mizuho Americas analyst Dan Dolev told the Journal that the majority of these cuts probably trace to a post-pandemic hiring correction rather than AI itself.
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An American brand can open a local Hong Kong dollar account, a Vietnamese dong account, or a Portuguese euro account without ever setting up a foreign legal entity, leasing an office or hiring a single local employee.
Verb
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Lawrence natives have held watch parties for all of Team Algeria’s games in downtown Lawrence, as well as various rallies for Algeria’s fans, with downtown stores placing Team Algeria jerseys in display windows.
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Amazon challenged that assumption by proving consumers valued faster delivery enough to justify placing inventory in more locations, before ultimately regionalizing its fulfillment network.
Verb
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Some teachers received more than $4,000 in bonuses for recruiting students for trips.
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Phase 3 Study 304 data in men is expected in the second half of 2026, and Phase 3 Study 306 in women is actively recruiting.
Cite this Entry
“Subcontracting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subcontracting. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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