contract
noun
an agreement between two or more parties for the doing or not doing of something specified.
contracting
-
present participleof contract.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
The French economy had already stagnated in the second quarter after contracting by 0.2 percent in the first.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
As the cells developed, they fused into organized muscle fibers capable of contracting together.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
As the labor market shifts toward independent contracting, traditional employee benefits like health insurance, paid leave and emergency safety nets have moved out of reach for millions of workers.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
The worker at the Antiplague Scientific Research Institute in Irkutsk province died Friday after contracting “pneumonia of an unknown cause,” the region’s governor, Igor Kobzev, said Monday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
As the space around me diminishes, the piles of “treasure” are ripped away, becoming debris spinning in the contracting circle of water.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
