contracted 1 of 2

adjective

as in squeezed

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contracted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of contract
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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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

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.
Recent Examples of contracted
Verb
One event occurred in 2015 when the mercenary hacker collective Hacking Team used one against a target it had been contracted to infect. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2026 Within the services category, wholesale, retail, and capital markets services activity contracted. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 When heated to 170 degrees Celsius, the ring contracted and squeezed the battery. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026 The district contracted with outside law firm Brooks Pierce for $275 an hour, plus fees, to conduct the probe, beginning in mid-May. — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026 In February 2024, Harald contracted an infection while on a private vacation in Langkawi, Malaysia. — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026 The Monarch Compute Campus burns gas to make its own electricity on site, which means the capacity Anthropic just contracted never enters an interconnection queue at all. — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 About 7% of people who have contracted the disease have needed hospitalization. — Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2026 In 2025, medical providers won 85% of disputes and were awarded payments more than four times the qualifying payment amount, which is defined as the median contracted in-network rate for care, according to the Georgetown analysis. — Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contracted
  1. compressed
  2. got
  3. shrank
  4. squeezed
  5. agreed
  6. condensed
  7. caught
  8. decreased
Adjective
  • Due to brass shortages, some knives had to be made with wooden handles, out of compressed leather washers, or bakelite plastic.
    — David Szondy August 30, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The states also warned that implementing the changes on a compressed timeline could disrupt election preparations and risk disenfranchising eligible voters.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of compressed
Verb
  • When the islanders first got their phones back while in Fiji, Melanie had a video call with her sister in an unseen clip.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The San Francisco 49ers got creative in managing some tough cuts Sunday afternoon to get down to a 53-man roster, letting go of their punter and long snapper.
    — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of got
Verb
  • Other brands have simply shrunk their bottles, the better to transport them in your pocket, around your neck, attached to your key chain or perhaps on a chatelaine around your waist.
    — Chloe Schama, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Washington — The unemployment gap between young high school graduates and their counterparts who obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher has shrunk steadily over the past few years in a sign of structural shifts happening in the US economy.
    — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of shrank
Verb
  • America’s aging farmers have been holding on to machinery for longer than usual as low crop prices and rising costs squeezed their finances.
    — Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Officials said the bears appeared to have squeezed through a 1-foot-wide opening in the concrete structure (likely seeking water during hot, humid weather) and then couldn’t get back out.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeezed
Verb
  • Oil prices inched lower on Monday after OPEC+ agreed to further increase its output targets from August while exports from key producers via the Strait of Hormuz are recovering, potentially adding to global supplies.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Personal terms have been agreed and the 28-year-old defender has been granted permission to undergo a medical.
    — The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of agreed
Adjective
  • While cake is cooling, whisk together cold water, sweetened condensed milk, and pudding mix in a large bowl until smooth.
    — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
  • The gallery presents a condensed history of blue-and-white ceramics globally in dishes, starting in the Middle East with a 9th century Iraqi piece.
    — Stephanie Shih June 17, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Definition of condensed
Verb
  • Summit caught the turnover bug as the Jaguars lost to Red Oak 20-15.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026
  • As a result, Japan finds itself in a precarious position, caught between a lack of locals to fill roles in the workforce and a distrust of immigrants who can provide labor.
    — Christine Miyawaki, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of caught
Verb
  • In some cases, LinkedIn says views of content classified as AI spam have decreased by as much as 40 percent.
    — Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Travel data shows the average group size for trips has decreased since COVID-19 began.
    — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of decreased

Browse Nearby Words

contract
contracted
contracted (for)
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Cite this Entry

“Contracted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contracted. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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