as in squeezed
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1
as in got
to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
before vaccines were invented, people lived in fear of contracting polio
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in compressed
to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter
metal contracts at low temperatures
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3
as in condensed
to reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together
contract the calf muscles in your legs
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4
as in agreed
to come to an arrangement as to a course of action
the farmer contracted for delivery of the hay by the first of July
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contracted
Josh Dinner, Space.com, 17 Mar. 2026
After a disastrous 20-134 season in 1899, the Spiders were contracted.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 17 Mar. 2026
Bassey was a late addition to Boston’s Summer League roster and only contracted to play in three of the team’s five games in the annual Las Vegas tournament, but his on-court performance was impressive.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
The team includes four full-time navigators, contracted through City Net, an organization that provides services to people experiencing homelessness throughout the state.
—Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 16 Mar. 2026
More than 500 Californians who work with the material have, like Peña, contracted the disease, at a median age of 46, according to the department’s Engineered Stone Silicosis Dashboard launched last year.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
San Francisco launched the program in 2023 with $700,000 and contracted with SF New Deal, which focuses on supporting small businesses in the city.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
But in a recent development, those special prosecutors have been contracted to perform work for the same prosecutor’s office that stepped aside, appointed by State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke to handle other post-conviction matters.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Nvidia has contracted Samsung to manufacture the LPU.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
If all goes according to plan during Orion's debut astronaut mission around the moon on Artemis 2, NASA plans to launch Artemis 3 to low Earth orbit (LEO) to rehearse rendezvous and docking maneuvers with either or both of the two lunar landers contracted for the Artemis program.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 17 Mar. 2026
After a disastrous 20-134 season in 1899, the Spiders were contracted.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 17 Mar. 2026
Bassey was a late addition to Boston’s Summer League roster and only contracted to play in three of the team’s five games in the annual Las Vegas tournament, but his on-court performance was impressive.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
The team includes four full-time navigators, contracted through City Net, an organization that provides services to people experiencing homelessness throughout the state.
—Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 16 Mar. 2026
More than 500 Californians who work with the material have, like Peña, contracted the disease, at a median age of 46, according to the department’s Engineered Stone Silicosis Dashboard launched last year.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
San Francisco launched the program in 2023 with $700,000 and contracted with SF New Deal, which focuses on supporting small businesses in the city.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
But in a recent development, those special prosecutors have been contracted to perform work for the same prosecutor’s office that stepped aside, appointed by State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke to handle other post-conviction matters.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
Nvidia has contracted Samsung to manufacture the LPU.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contracted
Verb
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Two innings later, Team USA got its first two runs in the same manner but offered a contrast in styles.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Hensley and Anderson obviously had plenty of fans in the building and got the loudest ovations.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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It also gets compressed, which squeezes the air and puts even more pressure on it, which heats it up.—
Zoe Mintz,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Years of work compressed into one headline.—
Brendan Keegan,
Rolling Stone,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The three of us squeezed into our bedroom closet and huddled over my phone.—
Amanda Peet,
New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Tkachuk controlled the loose puck in the crease and squeezed it past goalie Ilya Sorokin for the comeback victory.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins agreed, saying there was no justice and accountability for wiping out an entire family.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
According to the complaint, CIM and its affiliate agreed in 2021 to provide a loan to the Goodtime developer of up to $164 million, later reduced to $152 million.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The $3 million man caught 56 passes for 708 yards and five touchdowns in his final season at Auburn.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Losing sight of that for even a moment carries a cost that threatens not just the forest and the trees, but the men who can’t see the women caught between them.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the following months, the lengths of GEO Group’s contracts shrank, and a senior DHS official said Lewandowski told him not to award more contracts to the company.—
David Hickey,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
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Just three months later, scans showed that the chemo had shrunk the tumors.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
-
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The number of Democratic-majority Congressional Districts in North Texas decreased from three to two.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Over all grade levels, enrollment has decreased by about 875 students in the last 12 years while staff levels rose by 185 members.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contracted. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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