contract

1.adjectiveB2

Definition

describes a worker or employee who is hired to do a specific job for a limited period under a formal agreement, rather than as a permanent member of staff

Example

The factory hired 40 contract workers to handle the holiday rush.

contract workers — temporary, non-permanent staff

Elena worked as a contract teacher for two years before getting a full-time position.

Common collocations

contract worker
contract employee
contract role
contract position
contract staff

Synonyms

temporary
broader term; contract workers are always temporary, but not all temporary workers work under a formal signed contract
freelance
freelancers are typically self-employed and may work for multiple clients, while contract workers often work exclusively for one client for a set period

Antonyms

permanent
a permanent employee has an ongoing role with no fixed end date

Grammar Patterns

contract + noun

Usage Note

Attributive only — this sense is used directly before a noun (contract worker, contract employee, contract role). It does not appear after a linking verb.

1.nounB1

Definition

a legally binding arrangement, usually in writing, that sets out what each person or group promises to do or give in exchange for something from the other side

Example

Apinya carefully read every line of the contract before signing it.

sign + contract — finalise the agreement

The builder was sued for breach of contract after using materials not listed in the agreement.

breach of contract — failing to keep a promise in the contract

Common collocations

sign a contract
breach of contract
contract terms
contract clause
draft a contract
draw up a contract
contract law
contract period

Synonyms

agreement
broader term; an agreement can be casual and non-binding, whereas a contract is enforceable by law
deal
informal; emphasises the commercial arrangement rather than the legal document
pact
more formal, often used for international treaties or solemn promises between groups

Grammar Patterns

sign + contract

breach + contract

under + contract

contract + between + [parties]

Usage Note

The spoken, unwritten form (oral contract) is legally valid in many situations, but written contracts are strongly preferred as evidence. Distinguish from noun sense 2 (WORK AGREEMENT), which focuses on the employment arrangement rather than the document itself.

Common Mistakes

I signed a contract with my friend to meet for coffee.

I signed a contract with a supplier to deliver coffee beans every month.

A contract is a legally binding document, not a casual plan between friends.

Please read the contract carefully before signature.

Please read the contract carefully before signing it.

'Signature' is a noun; the natural verb form is 'signing'.

2.nounB2

Definition

a formal arrangement in which a person is employed by a company or individual for a specific job and period of time, often with stated conditions about pay, duties, and termination

Example

Xiu is under contract with a Korean entertainment company for the next three years.

under contract — currently employed by a contract

Anthony signed a two-year contract as the head chef at a newly opened restaurant.

Common collocations

under contract
contract expires
renew a contract
contract period
terminate a contract
contract offer

Synonyms

engagement
more formal, often used for performers, speakers, or consultants hired for a fixed period
stint
informal, focuses on the period of time rather than the legal framework

Grammar Patterns

under + contract

on + contract

have/get + a + contract + to-infinitive

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1 (LEGAL AGREEMENT), which focuses on the legal document itself, this sense emphasises the employment arrangement and its duration. Common in sports, entertainment, and professional services contexts.

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2

Definition

to become smaller in physical size, especially by drawing together or being pressed; or to cause something to become smaller in this way

Example

Layla felt her stomach muscles contract as she did the last sit-up.

muscles contract — intransitive: become shorter/tighter

The metal railway tracks contract on cold nights, which is why engineers leave small gaps between them.

Common collocations

muscles contract
metal contracts
pupils contract
contract in size
contract to

Synonyms

tighten
more specific; usually describes muscles or ropes becoming tighter, while contract covers a wider range of materials
shrink
focuses on reduction in size from a larger to a smaller state, often due to heat, cold, or moisture; more common for clothing
narrow
describes becoming less wide specifically, not smaller in all dimensions

Antonyms

expand

Grammar Patterns

something contracts

contract + something

contract + to + [size]

Usage Note

When used intransitively, the subject is the thing that becomes smaller (muscles, metal, fabric). When used transitively, the subject is the person or force causing the change. The opposite process is expand.

2.verbintransitiveB2

Definition

to go down in value, total amount, or level of activity — used especially of economies, markets, industries, or budgets

Example

Apinya read that the national economy had contracted by 1.5 percent in the last quarter.

economy + contracts — economic term for shrinking

The construction industry contracted sharply after interest rates rose.

Common collocations

economy contracts
market contracts
industry contracts
contract by [percentage]

Synonyms

shrink
more general; can be used for both physical objects and abstract quantities, while contract in this sense is more formal and restricted to economic contexts
decline
broader; can refer to quality, popularity, or health, not just size or amount
dwindle
emphasises a gradual reduction over time, often until little remains

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

[economy/market/industry] + contracts

contract + by + [percentage]

Usage Note

Primarily used in formal, analytical, or journalistic contexts about financial or economic indicators. The subject is almost always an abstract entity (economy, market, industry, budget) rather than a physical object. Distinguish from verb sense 1 (GET SMALLER), which describes physical size changes.

3.verbtransitiveB2

Definition

to catch or develop a disease, illness, or infection, especially one that is serious or long-lasting

Example

Tendai contracted malaria while working at a rural clinic in Ghana.

Isabela contracted a rare bacterial infection after travelling through Southeast Asia.

Common collocations

contract a disease
contract an infection
contract a virus
contract pneumonia
contract malaria

Synonyms

catch
more common in everyday speech; used for both minor and serious illnesses
develop
neutral and clinical; emphasises the onset of symptoms rather than exposure to a pathogen

Grammar Patterns

contract + [disease name]

contract + [illness/disease/infection/virus]

Usage Note

More formal than 'catch' or 'get.' Typically used for serious or medically significant conditions (pneumonia, malaria, HIV, a virus, an infection) rather than minor ones like a cold or headache. The disease is the object of the verb.

Common Mistakes

I contracted a cold last weekend.

I caught a cold last weekend.

Contract is too formal for minor illnesses; use 'catch' or 'get.'

The doctor contracted the disease from her patient.

The doctor caught the disease from her patient.

For transmission between people, 'catch' is more natural; 'contract' focuses on the act of developing the disease.

4.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2

Definition

to arrange by a formal legal agreement for a person or company to perform work or provide services, usually for a fixed price and period

Example

The university contracted Elena to design a new website for the admissions office.

contract + person + to-infinitive — arrange for someone to do work

Erik contracted with a local printing company to produce all his restaurant's menus.

Common collocations

contract [someone] to do [something]
contract with [someone]
contract out
contract for services

Synonyms

hire
more general; can refer to employing staff permanently or temporarily, without the emphasis on a formal written contract
commission
usually implies hiring someone to create a specific work of art, writing, or design
outsource
specifically means arranging for an external company to handle work previously done inside the organisation

Grammar Patterns

contract + [someone] + to-infinitive

contract + with + [someone]

contract + to-infinitive

contract + out + [work]

Usage Note

The phrasal verb contract out means to hire an external company to do work that could be done internally — often used when discussing outsourcing. The intransitive pattern contract with + [person/company] emphasises the relationship between the two parties.

Phrasal verbs

contract out

phrasal verb

to arrange for an outside company to do work that was previously done within your own company or organisation

Many banks contract out their customer service call centres to companies in other countries.

Instead of managing its own IT department, the hospital contracted out the work to a specialised firm.

Word family

contractor
nounB2
contraction
nounB2
contractual
adjectiveC1
contracted
adjectiveB2
subcontract
verbC1
subcontractor
nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

An agreement is the broadest term — any arrangement where two or more parties share a common understanding, whether casual ('We had an agreement to meet at noon') or legally binding. A contract is always a specific type of agreement that is enforceable by law, typically in writing, and spells out obligations and remedies for breach. A pact suggests a formal, solemn promise between groups or nations, often involving mutual support ('a defence pact'). A treaty is a formal written agreement between sovereign states, ratified by their governments ('the peace treaty ended the war'). A deal is informal and commercial, focusing on the exchange or arrangement itself rather than the legal framework ('They shook hands on the deal'). While all five terms overlap in the idea of mutual understanding, contract carries the strongest legal weight and is the most appropriate term for binding commercial or employment arrangements.

agreement ↗contract ↗pacttreaty ↗deal ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

terms
conditions
breach
clause
signing
parties
obligations
duration
termination
renewal

Adverbs

legally
formally
mutually
conditionally
expressly

Phrases

under contract
breach of contract
terms of the contract
contract of employment
draft a contract
draw up a contract

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Contract entered English in the 14th century from Old French, ultimately from Latin contractus, the past participle of contrahere (com- 'together' + trahere 'to draw, pull'). The literal meaning was 'to draw together' — two things being pulled into one. From this physical sense came the legal meaning (people 'drawn together' in a binding agreement) and the medical sense (contracting a disease, as if the illness 'draws together' with the person). The pronunciation shifted over time: the noun kept stress on the first syllable (CON-tract), while the verb shifted to stress on the second syllable (con-TRACT), a common English pattern that distinguishes nouns from verbs.

contract

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

contract out

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Entries near

Entries near

contract

contract — adjective

1. describes a worker or employee who is hired to do a specific job for a limited p

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

contract — noun

1. a legally binding arrangement, usually in writing, that sets out what each perso

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. a formal arrangement in which a person is employed by a company or individual fo

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

contract — verb

1. to become smaller in physical size, especially by drawing together or being pres

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

2. to go down in value, total amount, or level of activity — used especially of eco

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

3. to catch or develop a disease, illness, or infection, especially one that is ser

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

4. to arrange by a formal legal agreement for a person or company to perform work o

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

contract out

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Entries near

Entries near