contraction

[ kuhn-trak-shuhn ]

/ kənˈtræk ʃən /

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See synonyms for: contraction / contractions on Thesaurus.com

noun

an act or instance of contracting.

the quality or state of being contracted.

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, dep't for department.

Physiology. the change in a muscle by which it becomes thickened and shortened.

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

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

QUIZ

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"Is" it time for a new quiz? "Are" you ready? Then prove your excellent skills on using "is" vs. "are."

Question 1 of 7

IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

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Origin of contraction

1375–1425; late Middle English (<Middle French ) <Latin contractiōn- (stem of contractiō), equivalent to contract(us) drawn together, past participle of contrahere (see contract) + -iōn--ion

usage note for contraction

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.

OTHER WORDS FROM contraction

con·trac·tion·al, adjectivenon·con·trac·tion, nouno·ver·con·trac·tion, nounre·con·trac·tion, noun

Words nearby contraction

contracted pelvis, contract furniture, contractile, contractile vacuole, contractility, contraction, contraction joint, contractive, contract labor, contract of employment, contractor

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use contraction in a sentence

The economy’s deep contraction was heavily driven by services.
A country that escaped a recession in 2008 is officially in one now|Claire Zillman, reporter|September 2, 2020|Fortune
In the cyclic universe, however, the smoothing happens during a period of contraction.
Big Bounce Simulations Challenge the Big Bang|Charlie Wood|August 4, 2020|Quanta Magazine
When it comes to visualizing expansion and contraction, people often focus on a balloonlike universe whose change in size is described by a “scale factor.”
Big Bounce Simulations Challenge the Big Bang|Charlie Wood|August 4, 2020|Quanta Magazine
The expected population contraction will be due to dropping fertility rates with death rates being either at par with or faster than birth rates in several countries.
Africa’s population will triple by the end of the century even as the rest of the world shrinks|Yomi Kazeem|July 16, 2020|Quartz

The varying rates of contraction will be most extreme in countries like Thailand, Japan and Spain along with 20 others, where declines could see their populations halved by 2100, a new Lancet report on fertility and population growth scenarios shows.
Africa’s population will triple by the end of the century even as the rest of the world shrinks|Yomi Kazeem|July 16, 2020|Quartz
Side effects may include recession, job contraction, 401(k) bruising, recurrent Dow fluctuation, and IRA bleeding.
Up to a Point: PJ O’Rourke on Sochi and Senate Slackers|P. J. O’Rourke|February 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“AOL had a history of turmoil—rapid expansion and then rapid contraction,” Bewkes says.
Is Tim Armstrong the Lazarus of Aol.?|Lloyd Grove|December 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST
That would place the country in recession, typically defined as two consecutive quarters of economic contraction...
The British Economy Appears to be Tanking (Again)|Ilana Glazer|April 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The resulting credit contraction would be terrible news for the Italian economy.
Euro Crisis: Reheated|Megan McArdle|February 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Darwin considered that this protective contraction “was a fundamental element in several of our most important expressions.”
Why Do We Cry?|Michael Trimble|January 10, 2013|DAILY BEAST
In fact, incredibly faster, after his once-a-century contraction of short years before.
Old Friends Are the Best|Jack Sharkey
I take iowell (with a bar through the ll) to be the usual (Northern) contraction for Iowellis, jewels; F. text, joiau, pl.
Chaucer's Works, Volume 1 (of 7) -- Romaunt of the Rose; Minor Poems|Geoffrey Chaucer
The nick-name of Gigonnet was applied to Bidault on account of a feverish, involuntary contraction of a leg muscle.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z|Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
Expansion and contraction broke the high arch and the connexions between the arches.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various
Her lowered eyelids had that vague contraction which suggests a tear checked in its course, or a thought suppressed.
Toilers of the Sea|Victor Hugo

British Dictionary definitions for contraction

contraction

/ (kənˈtrækʃən) /

noun

an instance of contracting or the state of being contracted

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

pathol any abnormal tightening or shrinking of an organ or part

a shortening of a word or group of words, often marked in written English by an apostropheI've come for I have come

Derived forms of contraction

contractive, adjectivecontractively, adverbcontractiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for contraction

contraction

[ kən-trăk′shən ]

The act of contracting or the state of being contracted.

The shortening and thickening of functioning muscle or muscle fiber.

Scientific definitions for contraction

contraction

[ kən-trăk′shən ]

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

Cultural definitions for contraction

contraction

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.

notes for contraction

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

contraction

Origin of contraction

usage note for contraction

OTHER WORDS FROM contraction

Words nearby contraction

Words related to contraction

How to use contraction in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for contraction

Derived forms of contraction

Medical definitions for contraction

Scientific definitions for contraction

Cultural definitions for contraction

notes for contraction