contingency plan
Americannoun
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a course of action to be followed if a preferred plan fails or an existing situation changes.
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a plan or procedure that will take effect if an emergency occurs; emergency plan.
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.
She’s heard people say that you can’t have a contingency plan for everything — “but yes, yes you can,” she emphasized.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
Rogers told a few close associates he was formulating a contingency plan in which she would leave later this year, The Wall Street Journal reported last month.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026
From 2027 as part of the New Zoo Standards, they will be legally required to have a contingency plan to care for animals during prolonged income loss, major incidents, or permanent closure.
From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026
Lincoln Riley still isn’t saying if he thinks he’ll lose defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to Penn State, but he has a contingency plan ready if necessary.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025
“We’ve got a contingency plan for exactly this scenario!”
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
