contact

American  

[kon-takt] / ˈkɒn tækt /

noun

• contacts
  plural

1. the act or state of touching; a touching or meeting, as of two things or people.

2. immediate proximity or association.

3. an acquaintance, colleague, or relative through whom a person can gain access to information, favors, influential people, and the like.

4. Electricity. a junction of electric conductors, usually metal, that controls current flow, often completing or interrupting a circuit.

5. Geology. the interface, generally a planar surface, between strata that differ in lithology or age.

6. Medicine/Medical. a person who has lately been exposed to an infected person.

7. Sociology. a condition in which two or more individuals or groups are placed in communication with each other.

8. contact lens.

---

verb (used with object)

• contacts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• contacted,
  past participle,  past
• contacting
  present participle

1. to put or bring into contact.

2. to communicate with.

   We'll contact you by mail or telephone.

verb (used without object)

• contacts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• contacted,
  past participle,  past
• contacting
  present participle

1. to enter into or be in contact.

adjective

1. involving or produced by touching or proximity.

   contact allergy.

contact British  

/ kɒnˈtæktjʊəl /

noun

1. the act or state of touching physically

2. the state or fact of close association or communication (esp in the phrases in contact, make contact )

3. 1. a junction of two or more electrical conductors

   2. the part of the conductors that makes the junction

   3. the part of an electrical device to which such connections are made

4. an acquaintance, esp one who might be useful in business, as a means of introduction, etc

5. any person who has been exposed to a contagious disease

6. photog See contact print

7. (usually plural) an informal name for contact lens

8. (modifier) of or relating to irritation or inflammation of the skin caused by touching the causative agent

   contact dermatitis

9. (modifier) denoting an insecticide or herbicide that kills on contact, rather than after ingestion or absorption

10. (modifier) of or maintaining contact

11. (modifier) requiring or involving (physical) contact

    the contact sport of boxing

---

verb

1. to put, come, or be in association, touch, or communication

interjection

1. aeronautics (formerly) a call made by the pilot to indicate that an aircraft's ignition is switched on and that the engine is ready for starting by swinging the propeller

contact Scientific  

/ kŏn′tăkt′ /

1. Electricity

   1. A connection between two conductors that allows an electric current to flow.

   2. A part or device that makes or breaks a connection in an electrical circuit.

2. Geology The place where two different types of rock, or rocks of different ages, come together.

---

Usage

Many verbs in English have derived from nouns. One can head an organization or toe the mark; butter the bread or bread the cutlet. Hence, grammatically at least, there is no historical justification for the once frequently heard criticism of contact used as a verb meaning “to communicate with”: The managing editor contacted each reporter personally. Despite the earlier objections to it and probably largely because there is no other one-word verb in the language to express the same idea, this use of contact has become standard in all types of speech and writing. Contact as a noun meaning “a person through whom one can gain access to information and the like” is also standard: My contact at the embassy says that the coup has been successful.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noncontact
  noun
• recontact
  noun
• contactual
  adjective
• uncontacted
  adjective
• contactually
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• contacts
  plural

Participles

• contacting
  present
• contacted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• contact
  simple
• contacts
  simple
• have contacted
  perfect
• has contacted
  perfect
• am contacting
  progressive
• are contacting
  progressive
• is contacting
  progressive
• have been contacting
  perfect progressive
• has been contacting
  perfect progressive

Past

• contacted
  simple
• had contacted
  perfect
• was contacting
  progressive
• were contacting
  progressive
• had been contacting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will contact
  simple
• will have contacted
  perfect
• will be contacting
  progressive
• will have been contacting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of contact

First recorded in 1620–30; from Latin contāctus “a touch,” noun use of past participle of contingere “to touch together, each other, on all sides,” from con- con- + -tingere, combining form of tangere “to touch”; cf. attain, tango

Explanation

Contact is the act of touching or communicating with someone or something else. The question increasingly isn't whether there is other life in the universe, but how on earth we will ever make contact with it. "To make contact" (the noun) means to establish some form of communication, be it physical, verbal, or some other kind. To contact (the verb) means to establish that communication. If you're looking to contact Madonna, good luck. She's got people whose only job it is to prevent folks like you from making contact with her. Batteries have two contacts, one positive and one negative. They are where the battery makes contact with the thing to which it provides power.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contact contacts contacted contacting

Neither UK Athletics, for whom he worked as a consultant sprinting coach, nor the sprinters he coached knew why he was out of contact.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

It did not mention Trump's order or his desire to resume talks with Kim, with whom he has hinted at being in contact.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

Other ways to protect yourself include washing your hands before preparing food, after using the bathroom and after contact with animals.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

We have been told that our daughter-in-law does not wish to have contact with our family.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

Leah, Maggie, and Kate led private circles for the Greeleys, attempting to make contact with their dead son.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

At that time, Wiles said her phone had been hacked after an impersonator, or impersonators, used her contacts file to message other top US officials.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

It makes the ankle joint stiffer and can improve stability when the foot contacts the ground.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

Could these contacts help us learn more about The Spider and his crimes, or even help us to track him down?

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

A spokesman told AFP it would be "a ring trial in the DRC", involving the circle of contacts around known cases.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

She wore East Shoal sweats, and her blue contacts were gone; her eyes were brown.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

I smiled and left the courthouse bouncing up and down as I contacted my editor in D.C. to let him know I’d commandeered a golden quote.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026

BBC Sport has also contacted Thorslund's promoters, Most Valuable Promotions, for comment.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

The Times first contacted Median Strategies last week, seeking more details about the purported poll it claimed showed Bass leading Raman by 12 percentage points.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

For decades, survey respondents were typically contacted by phone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

“I thought you contacted me because you know I’m still the leader of the Allegiant, and you want an ally,” Johanna says, bending her neck so a lock of hair falls over her scarred eye.

From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

She told shelter officials that she and her family had been scouring the neighborhood, including posting fliers and contacting local dog rescues.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

The 22-year-old says while he understands their anxiety, parents shouldn’t be joining their children’s job interviews or contacting employees on their behalf.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

Speaking in Dover after the incident, the shadow home secretary said: "I am planning on contacting the French ambassador by next Monday to ask why 17 rounds were fired so close to our boat."

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

The company said it was contacting the owners of the affected accounts and had "not seen evidence of broader impact to these providers or other accounts on their services."

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

“That was...an incredible gift. Making the video, contacting her, all of it.”

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

Related Words

• approach
• call
• connect
• phone
• reach
• talk
• telephone
• visit