contractor

American  

[kon-trak-ter, kuhn-trak-ter] / ˈkɒn træk tər, kənˈtræk tər /

noun

contractors plural

1. a person who contracts to furnish supplies or perform work at a certain price or rate.

2. something that contracts, especially a muscle.

3. Bridge. the player or team who makes the final bid.

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contractor British  

/ kənˈtræk-, ˈkɒntræktə /

noun

1. a person or firm that contracts to supply materials or labour, esp for building

2. something that contracts, esp a muscle

3. law a person who is a party to a contract

4. the declarer in bridge

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• contractors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of contractor

From Late Latin, dating back to 1540–50; see origin at contract, -tor

Explanation

A contractor is someone who is hired to build something. As a contractor at a building site, it is highly recommended you keep your hard hat on at all times. When you think of contractor, you may picture construction sites; however, the word has other meanings as well. Legally, if you sign a contract to perform a specific job then you are what is known as a contractor. When there are not many full-time jobs available for workers, sometimes the only option is to become a freelance contractor, which might mean that you only work part-time or when needed.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contractor contractors

FBI agents executed a search warrant at the Virginia home of Washington Post reporter, Hannah Natanson, earlier this year as part of an investigation into alleged mishandling of classified information by a government contractor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026

The contractor and the city are discussing long-term solutions for the building.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

For example, someone who owes a contractor $2,000 might reach for their checkbook if they don’t have that much cash and want to avoid a credit-card fee.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026

"There are more than 10 bears moving about around our town, frequently entering urban areas," the works contractor and self-styled nature lover told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

But because I was around, the contractor decided one day to make me his translator.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

He couldn’t put a number to the amount of people he treated, which included U.S. soldiers, Iraqis, contractors, and journalists.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

Specialist marine contractors Jevington Logistics, from Pembroke Dock, started recovering the stranded ship on 29 June.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

“These approaches create a gap. Insurers often rely on standardized estimating software built on regional averages, while contractors price work based on current labor availability, material shortages, permit requirements, and real construction conditions.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026

Blume has floated the possibility of VW's European plants making the company's Chinese-designed cars to use up spare capacity and also said that production for defence contractors could be an option.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

Stanton weeded out unfit and incompetent officers; battled dishonest government contractors who sold the army low-quality uniforms, rotting equipment, and defective weapons; and endured an epidemic of officers who would not fight.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson