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
What happened when a customer expanded rapidly and then contracted? — Rishi Katdare, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Cyberattacks can also target new or contracted employees to breach systems. — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 30 June 2026 Lineage also has contracted with Orkin and Signal Restoration Services to try to keep pests from being drawn to the spoiling food. — Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 The pyramid’s base never vanished, but its proportional weight in the global distribution has measurably contracted. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 June 2026 It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially when contracted by adults over 65, people with weak immune systems and pregnant women. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 1 July 2026 Prior to the measles vaccine, nearly all American children contracted the highly contagious viral disease by age 15, according to the NIH. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026 Engineering and Consulting Services Southwest, LLP (ECS) had contracted Barba Drilling, which was operating a drill rig for soil sampling near the apartment building. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Two of the band’s shows in Fort Worth, scheduled for June 30 and July 2, are now occurring on July 11 and July 13, respectively, as Lee has contracted the unenviable combination of laryngitis and bronchitis. — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 1 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contracted
  1. compressed
  2. got
  3. shrank
  4. squeezed
  5. agreed
  6. condensed
  7. caught
  8. decreased
Adjective
  • Under sustained acceleration, leadership teams frequently start operating within more compressed decision cycles where immediate demands dominate attention and time for reflection gradually shrinks.
    — ByPaul L. Gunn, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The compressed script and the snippety editing sometimes lead to unintended comedy, as in a scene where Maxine watches Christine, the seamstress, work.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 June 2026
Definition of compressed
Verb
  • Three players who logged heavy minutes in the two previous games -- Vlad Goldin, Jahmir Young and Trevor Keels -- got the night off.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
  • And the Dodgers got another shot, with Pages on second to start the inning.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of got
Verb
  • Subscriptions shrunk, and 42% of theaters reported in 2024 that 30% or more of their subscribers had disappeared.
    — Marc Hershberg, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • Job postings shrank in industries such as healthcare, finance and tech, Tuesday’s report showed.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
Definition of shrank
Verb
  • The performance uptick that Motorola squeezed from the 2026 Razr+ is minor at best, with results showing no significant year-over-year gains.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 29 June 2026
  • There was Paris squeezed between meetings on a fleeting work trip.
    — Alisha Prakash, Travel + Leisure, 27 June 2026
Definition of squeezed
Verb
  • More than 90% agreed or strongly agreed that scent work is enjoyable for dogs, tires them out and builds confidence in shy dogs.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026
  • The trade was agreed to shortly before midnight on June 22 prior to being formalized on Monday.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
Definition of agreed
Adjective
  • Whisk together sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, extract, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 27 June 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
  • While once exclusive to skateboarders for their ease of movement, thanks to a crop of particular designers’ spring/summer 2026 collections—from Dries Van Noten, to Khaite and TWP—they’ve caught the eye of the fashion set, too.
    — Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 2 July 2026
  • The circular logic of it would be darkly comic if tens of thousands of livelihoods weren't caught in the middle.
    — Jemma Green, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of caught
Verb
  • Only two items tracked by the Farm Bureau decreased in price in 2026.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
  • Procurement and Obsolescence Savings At one company, obsolescence in both raw materials and finished goods decreased by 30%.
    — Steve Banker, Forbes.com, 1 July 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 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of contracted for Spanish Speakers

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