as in compression
the act or process of reducing the size or volume of something by or as if by pressing
most substances undergo contraction when cooled
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contraction
Digestive muscle contractions dwindle, as does digestive secretion production.
—
Caroline Tien, SELF, 30 Mar. 2026
This vibrating board activates rapid muscle contractions throughout your body to help improve circulation, balance and mobility.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
There is a sense that industry contraction, rather than killing creativity, may be forcing the business to sharpen its focus.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
Besides causing building foundations to crack and roadways to heave, the expansion and contraction can cause pipes to disconnect, and the pipe couplings that an Atmos predecessor installed are not resistant to pulling out, the board found.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Caroline Tien, SELF, 30 Mar. 2026
This vibrating board activates rapid muscle contractions throughout your body to help improve circulation, balance and mobility.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
There is a sense that industry contraction, rather than killing creativity, may be forcing the business to sharpen its focus.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026
Besides causing building foundations to crack and roadways to heave, the expansion and contraction can cause pipes to disconnect, and the pipe couplings that an Atmos predecessor installed are not resistant to pulling out, the board found.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contraction
Noun
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Their flight plan for Friday also included rehearsals of basic medical procedures — including chest compressions and methods to clear airway obstructions — to help prepare future Orion crews for possible emergencies in deep space.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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The process causes a violent compression of air molecules that can heat the spacecraft’s exterior to more than 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Concacaf is not the only confederation squeezing games into FIFA windows around the club calendar.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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Hassan’s team instead squeezed a photon’s intensity and demonstrated real-time control, fluctuating between intensity and phase-squeezing by adjusting the silica’s position relative to the beams.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In a Friday letter to trustees, adviser Luz Cazares wrote that contracting with HYA was inconsistent with the district’s financial recovery.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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Acquisition officials warned at the time that the policy risked slowing down routine purchasing and urgent buys alike, especially during DHS's busiest contracting period.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The facility had heavy ice condensation in the one door upright freezer.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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This rapid change in temperature creates condensation, which is why your lawn is often glistening with dew on spring and summer mornings.—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Infielder Juliette Merrilees batted next and delivered a safety squeeze down the first base line to tie the game 4-4.—
Tony Gleason,
Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
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In addition to tilt and pressure sensitivity, the Apple Pencil Pro adds squeeze and delete functions to the palette, along with a new barrel roll gesture and haptic vibrational feedback.—
Cierra Cowan,
PC Magazine,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Lungs Starting at around 9,000 feet, your lungs may begin to swell due to a constriction of blood vessels, which can cause fluid to leak and accumulate.—
Brad Stulberg,
Outside,
26 Mar. 2026
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Egypt as a state of mind The Hebrew name for Egypt, Mitzrayim, shares a root with the word for narrowness or constriction.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Contraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contraction. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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