subcontractor

American  

[suhb-kon-trak-ter, suhb-kon-, suhb-kuhn-trak-ter] / sʌbˈkɒn træk tər, ˈsʌbˌkɒn-, ˌsʌb kənˈtræk tər /

noun

• subcontractors
  plural

1. Law. a person who or business that contracts to provide some service or material necessary for the performance of another's contract.

2. a person or business firm contracted to do part of another's work.

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subcontractor British  

/ ˌsʌbkənˈtræktə /

noun

1. a person, company, etc, that enters into a subcontract, esp a firm that undertakes to complete part of another's contract

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• subcontractors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of subcontractor

First recorded in 1835–45; sub- + contractor

Explanation

A subcontractor is someone who agrees to perform part of a larger job. If you've been hired to renovate a house but you're not an expert plumber, you could hire a subcontractor to install new pipes. If you were building a new house, you might hire a contractor to do the job. While the contractor would be responsible for the entire project, she might pay subcontractors to do specific tasks, like digging the foundation, installing windows, or wiring the new house for electricity. You would pay the contractor for the whole project, and she would pay the subcontractors for the work they performed.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

subcontractor subcontractors

The company said it believes the fire was started when a subcontractor employed by the owner of the rooftop solar array, Altus Power, was performing tests on June 17.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

According to law enforcement sources, the federal investigation is tied at least in part to Carvalho’s interaction with a subcontractor that brought a failed AI chatbot venture to the district.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026

The rep “eliminated a lot of stress and saved time and money” by catching potential problems, like when the subcontractor almost installed flooring incorrectly, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 25, 2026

A quarrying and construction firm has been fined £110,000 after the death of a subcontractor.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026

My dad fixed me up with the electrical subcontractor on his construction project, and right away I found myself wiring hotel rooms.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos

Mamdani threw his support behind a City Council bill that would require the company to employ last-mile drivers directly rather than use subcontractors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

The kitchen was mostly finished two years later in 2024 when subcontractors damaged a pipe, which set them back again.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026

According to Lineage, company officials believe the fire began while third-party subcontractors were testing the rooftop solar array at the nearly 500,000-square-foot warehouse.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

The agency maintained networks of contractors and subcontractors, often smaller local groups that employed local community members.

From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2026

Building contracts were like gold, and Uncle John happened to know some of the managers who were hiring these subcontractors.

From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba