as in squeezed
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in got
to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
before vaccines were invented, people lived in fear of contracting polio
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Zach Wichter, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Monroe’s wife, Shawna Stewart, confirmed the news with Complex, telling the outlet that the star contracted meningitis 18 months ago while filming in Las Vegas.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
The college also contracted with TERRA Engineering to conduct a tree inventory, analyze tree and soil conditions, and generate a map showing each tree on campus.
—Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
His drive to eliminate Argentina’s chronic inflation has stalled, unemployment has climbed and the economy has contracted.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
The universal birth dose recommendation went into effect in 1991, leading to a dramatic reduction in the number of babies who contracted hepatitis B during infancy.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 27 Apr. 2026
On Monday, landscapers contracted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation will begin removing vegetation and trellises, spray herbicide to kill remaining plants and prepare the soil for replanting.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
According to the transportation plan, KC2026 has contracted 215 motorcoach buses, each seating about 53 people, to help transport fans throughout the region.
—Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
SpaceX is contracted to carry NEO Surveyor to orbit on a Falcon 9 in 2027.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
Lubner said that as the industry contracted, many airlines pulled out of smaller, less profitable airports, leaving those communities disconnected.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Monroe’s wife, Shawna Stewart, confirmed the news with Complex, telling the outlet that the star contracted meningitis 18 months ago while filming in Las Vegas.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
The college also contracted with TERRA Engineering to conduct a tree inventory, analyze tree and soil conditions, and generate a map showing each tree on campus.
—Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
His drive to eliminate Argentina’s chronic inflation has stalled, unemployment has climbed and the economy has contracted.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
The universal birth dose recommendation went into effect in 1991, leading to a dramatic reduction in the number of babies who contracted hepatitis B during infancy.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 27 Apr. 2026
On Monday, landscapers contracted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation will begin removing vegetation and trellises, spray herbicide to kill remaining plants and prepare the soil for replanting.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
According to the transportation plan, KC2026 has contracted 215 motorcoach buses, each seating about 53 people, to help transport fans throughout the region.
—Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
SpaceX is contracted to carry NEO Surveyor to orbit on a Falcon 9 in 2027.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contracted
Verb
-
Not every enterprise got past the beta stage.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Birmingham, led by former Orlando quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, made enough plays to run out the clock and the Storm never got another chance.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Verb
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What was once a six-to eight-month season is now compressed to about four months, with this year's season ending on April 30 for fishermen who use conventional equipment.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
-
If entry-level roles are compressed too aggressively, firms risk weakening their own talent pipelines.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Many Americans feel financially squeezed — over half say their finances are worsening, according to a recent Gallup poll, the highest since 2001.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
-
And so there’s going to be times where we’re squeezed and punched.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After a Wisconsin breeding and animal research facility that housed thousands of beagles agreed to sell most of their animals, some of the dogs will be headed to the Chicago area.—
Victor Jacobo,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
-
David Ross — the manager fired by Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer after Counsell agreed to a five-year, $40 million contract — has reemerged as an ESPN broadcaster and a co-host with Anthony Rizzo on a podcast reuniting members of the 2016 World Series team.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Gonzales drove a first-pitch slider to left, and Church jumped and caught the ball above the top of the 6-foot wall, 373 feet from home plate.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
That’s what kept his head on straight in the trenches, even when his socks got bogged down with mud and soldiers flanked on either side of him caught shrapnel or pneumonia.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ben Clemens at FanGraphs measured the change, relative to the 2025 regular season, and found that the zone has shrunk at the top of the zone and on the edges of the plate.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Can’t one or two of the others on that page be shrunk a little to accommodate it?—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The seven food groups of the National Food Guide were condensed to four by combining all fruits and vegetables—regardless of color or form—into one group.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Some responses are paraphrased for clarity or condensed for brevity.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Last year, the number of officers killed decreased, both in terms of officers killed as a result of felonious acts and those killed accidentally.—
Kenneth D. Robinson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
In addition, overall passenger numbers decreased 20% after Spirit exited a route, which indicates that rival airlines did not immediately step forward to fill the void.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contracted. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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