contraction

American  

[kuhn-trak-shuhn] / kənˈtræk ʃən /

noun

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

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

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

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

The eurozone recorded an unexpected contraction in the first three months of 2026 due to a steep slump in Ireland's economic figures, according to revised data issued on Friday.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

The unusually steep downward revision was due to a sharper-than-estimated contraction in Ireland -- where economic activity fell 12.1 percent compared to an initial forecast of two percent.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

The Irish economy suffered a large contraction in the first three months of the year, led by a decline of more than one-third in factory output, the country’s statistics agency said Thursday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

The contraction was led by a decline of more than one-third in factory output, according to the Central Statistics Office.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

I realized that I had made a mistake: the no boundary condition implied that disorder would in fact continue to increase during the contraction.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

Related Words

• decrease
• deflation
• recession
• reduction
• shrinkage