contractual

adjective

con·​trac·​tu·​al kən-ˈtrak-chə-wəl How to pronounce contractual (audio)
-chəl, 
-shwəl, 
-chü-əl
: of, relating to, or constituting a contract
contractually adverb

Examples of contractual in a Sentence

They had to fulfill their contractual obligations before they could get paid.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Harden got into a contractual dispute in the offseason that lingered into training camp, and he was traded in October 2023 to the Los Angeles Clippers. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Who outsourced the management of these fridges and who had contractual oversight for their security? — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 Due diligence, contractual controls, audit rights and visibility into model development and data practices help manage external risk. — Jennifer C. Wolfe, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Duke, who died in 2013, often did session work under the alias Dawilli Gonga, perhaps due to contractual obligations that prevented him from being officially credited under his own name. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contractual

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin contractuālis, from Latin contractu-, stem of contractus contract entry 1 + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of contractual was in 1827

Rhymes for contractual

See All Rhymes for contractual

Browse Nearby Words

contract theory
contractual
contractual liability insurance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contractual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contractual. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

contractual

adjective
con·​trac·​tu·​al kən-ˈtrak-chə(-wə)l How to pronounce contractual (audio)
kän-, 
-ˈtraksh-wəl
: of, relating to, or being a contract
contractual agreements
contractually
-ē
adverb

Legal Definition

contractual

adjective
con·​trac·​tu·​al kən-ˈtrak-chə-wəl How to pronounce contractual (audio)
: of, relating to, or constituting a contract
a contractual agreement
contractually adverb
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