noun
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a person or firm that contracts to supply materials or labour, esp for building
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something that contracts, esp a muscle
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law a person who is a party to a contract
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the declarer in bridge
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing contractor
The Circuit
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Structural Engineering
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -er, -or
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Her husband is a government contractor who travels often, which means childcare is always part of the equation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
The department in January gave a deferred prosecution agreement to the chief executive of a technology contractor who had been charged with defrauding the Securities and Exchange Commission.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
Platner also faced questions from fellow progressives regarding the time he spent employed as a security contractor associated with the mercenary force Blackwater.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
“If you are not directly involved in data-center work, the broader construction market feels relatively weak,” an electrical contractor in North Dakota said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
‘We need those tree stumps out of here by tomorrow,’ the contractor said.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
“A lot of them are essentially independent contractors, so it’s a slightly different trajectory than someone who goes to an engineering program,” said Michael Bryant, interim provost at CalArts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Walters said she had spoken to "numerous contractors" who quoted the residents more than £1,000 a metre for the work.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
He has helped national security contractors win consulting contracts with Emirati security services and court another prospective client: G42.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
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
Unless it’s a life-or-death emergency, the Coast Guard refers disabled-boat calls to private contractors like Tropical Rescue, which charge big bucks.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
