contraction

American  

[kuhn-trak-shuhn] / kənˈtræk ʃən /

noun

• contractions
  plural

1. an act or instance of contracting or the quality or state of being contracted.

   The contraction of the ship’s metal fastenings and consequent snapping of the wood caused cracking sounds during the cold night.

2. a shortened form of a word or group of words, with the omitted letters often replaced in written English by an apostrophe, as e'er for ever, isn't for is not, I'd for I would.

3. Physiology.

   1. the thickening and shortening of a muscle.

      Myosin is a protein in muscles, working together with actin to produce muscle contraction.

   2. one in an often rhythmic series of such muscular changes, especially in the wall of the uterus during labor.

      When I got to the hospital, my labor was in full force with only 10 seconds between contractions.

4. a restriction or withdrawal, as of currency or of funds available as call money.

5. a decrease in economic and industrial activity (opposed to expansion).

   The contraction that became the Great Depression began in the United States and spread around the globe.

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contraction British  

/ kənˈtrækʃən /

noun

1. an instance of contracting or the state of being contracted

2. physiol any normal shortening or tensing of an organ or part, esp of a muscle, e.g. during childbirth

3. pathol any abnormal tightening or shrinking of an organ or part

4. a shortening of a word or group of words, often marked in written English by an apostrophe

   I've come for I have come

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contraction Scientific  

/ kən-trăk′shən /

1. The shortening and thickening of a muscle for the purpose of exerting force on or causing movement of a body part.

2. See more at muscle

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contraction Cultural  

1. A word produced by running two or more words together and leaving out some of the letters or sounds. For example, isn't is a contraction of is not.

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Usage

Contractions such as isn't, couldn't, can't, weren't, he'll, they're occur chiefly, although not exclusively, in informal speech and writing. They are common in personal letters, business letters, journalism, and fiction; they are rare in scientific and scholarly writing. Contractions occur in formal writing mainly as representations of speech.

Discover More

An apostrophe is generally used in contractions to show where letters or sounds have been left out.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• contractiveness
  noun
• noncontraction
  noun
• overcontraction
  noun
• recontraction
  noun
• contractional
  adjective
• contractive
  adjective
• contractively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• contractions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of contraction

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Old French, from Latin contractiōn-, stem of contractiō, equivalent to contract(us) “drawn together, restricted,” past participle of contrahere + -iōn- noun suffix; see contract, -ion

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Explanation

A contraction is the act of decreasing the size of something or shortening it, or it can be the process of becoming smaller or compressed. The two most well-known uses of contraction involve muscles and words. A contraction of the muscle tenses it or shortens it, like when you're standing in the mirror flexing and admiring yourself. On the other hand, a contraction can also be two words that are combined, with a few letters often replaced by an apostrophe, like when we change do and not into don't.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contraction contractions

Still, a steep contraction in consumer confidence could dent hopes that this resilience will continue into the final quarter of 2026.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

Official figures showed the economy expanded by 0.1% in the month, defying analysts' expectations of a slight contraction.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Saudi Arabia saw one of the sharpest falls in projected growth, with the IMF forecasting a contraction of 3.3 percent -- a cut in the forecast of 5.0 percentage points.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

The employment index returned to slight expansion after two months in contraction, the survey said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

It’s not that ain’t is used as a standard contraction for negated forms of be, have, and do; no writer is that oblivious.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

It sends water to our muscles, which helps to maintain cell volume and support muscle contractions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

However, even though Broadcom and Oracle have also seen their earnings estimates rise, those increases haven’t been enough to offset their sharper multiple contractions.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 10, 2026

Lorna, who is married to Chelsea's brother Steven, said her contractions then came on quickly.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

Household spending in Canada has remained relatively resilient, helping underpin an economy that has shown signs of rebounding following back-to-back quarterly contractions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Today’s contractions generally include a verb, along with a subject or the word “not.”

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

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Related Words

• decrease
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• recession
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