noun
-
a person or firm that contracts to supply materials or labour, esp for building
-
something that contracts, esp a muscle
-
law a person who is a party to a contract
-
the declarer in bridge
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of contractor
From Late Latin, dating back to 1540–50; see origin at contract, -tor
Explanation
A contractor is someone who is hired to build something. As a contractor at a building site, it is highly recommended you keep your hard hat on at all times. When you think of contractor, you may picture construction sites; however, the word has other meanings as well. Legally, if you sign a contract to perform a specific job then you are what is known as a contractor. When there are not many full-time jobs available for workers, sometimes the only option is to become a freelance contractor, which might mean that you only work part-time or when needed.
Vocabulary lists containing contractor
The Circuit
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Structural Engineering
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -er, -or
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Contractor B took my money and the job and handed it to the very contractor I had deliberately decided not to hire.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
Parra, who is 24, interned in Collins’ congressional office in 2024 and worked as a contractor for a Collins-affiliated political action committee until last year.
From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026
In a statement to the Tribune, she said her agency was working with a contractor to “remediate” the land.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026
She said her father hid the coins while working as an electrical contractor in properties around the town, although Mead's home was one he actually lived in.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Almost apologetically he explained: It was something I probably wouldn’t be interested in, but a friend of his, a contractor, needed someone for the summer to do menial jobs.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
It would have been useful to have both contractors explain exactly what needed to be done.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
Private sector targets allegedly included hospitals, universities, telecom providers, power companies, financial institutions and defense contractors.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
Plumbers, chefs, contractors, pool guys and landscape designers are becoming Instagram- and TikTok-famous, a piece from Lane Florsheim for WSJ.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Fitch cited “existing discord” between the city and the contractors that could lead to further delays in the project and a default on the bonds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
The city of Anaheim started to recruit defense contractors, eventually persuading Northrop, Boeing, and North American Aviation to build factories there.
From "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" by Eric Schlosser
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.
