subcontract
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
-
subcontracts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
subcontracted,
past participle, past
-
subcontracting
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
subcontracts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
subcontracted,
past participle, past
-
subcontracting
present participle
noun
verb
-
to enter into or make a subcontract
-
(tr) to let out (work) on a subcontract
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
subcontractsimple
-
subcontractssimple
-
have subcontractedperfect
-
has subcontractedperfect
-
am subcontractingprogressive
-
are subcontractingprogressive
-
is subcontractingprogressive
-
have been subcontractingperfect progressive
-
has been subcontractingperfect progressive
Past
-
subcontractedsimple
-
had subcontractedperfect
-
was subcontractingprogressive
-
were subcontractingprogressive
-
had been subcontractingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of subcontract
Explanation
A subcontract is a legal agreement to do part of a larger job. A worker or small company usually signs a subcontract with a larger company. As a verb, subcontract means to hire a person or company to complete part of a job. An example might be a construction company that's been employed to build a house deciding to subcontract all the plumbing and electrical work out. In other words, they are paid for the entire job, and then they pay a plumber and an electrician to do specific parts of the job.
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:
The RSF scored an important victory against the Darfur rebels, did less well in fighting an insurgency in the Nuba Mountains adjacent to South Sudan, and took a subcontract to police the border with Libya.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2025
Another reason for calm in Wall Street is that its traders subcontract the job of risk assessment to the oil market.
From New York Times ● Jan. 30, 2024
If all requests are paid, Liberty says its $31.25 million subcontract would reach $44.75 million for materials, labor and especially time.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 22, 2023
Finally, poultry processors subcontract chicken farming to independent contractors who raise chickens under exclusive contracts for a single firm.
From Slate ● Sep. 13, 2022
Boone says on this page that he received no instructions from Dorsey in reference to the business except in regard to the subcontract blanks.
From The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 10 (of 12) Dresden Edition?Legal by Robert Green Ingersoll
While Shein has no customers in China, it subcontracts thousands of factories in the country to produce its enormous selection of low-price merchandise and adapt to rapidly changing consumer tastes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
"If we look at large companies, their accident rate is close to zero, but in the chain of contracts and subcontracts, especially among small and medium-sized firms, that's where accidents happen," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2025
It subcontracts to hotels to provide accommodation for about half of those and also, according to the latest official data, uses more hotels than the other contractors.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025
MV Transportation subcontracts with Solid Ground for King County Metro to provide paratransit services for seniors and people with disabilities.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 7, 2022
“Yes, well, Apollo is too busy to see to them,” Geryon explained, “so he subcontracts to us. We breed them vigorously because there’s such a demand.”
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
The firm subcontracted with another company for a social-media influencer campaign, targeting audiences between 12 and 18 as well as parents of teenagers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Amivero subcontracted the work to Guidehouse, a global consulting firm that works with the U.S. on defense and intelligence efforts, among other clients and services.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
At the time of the publication, Meta admitted subcontracted workers might sometimes review content filmed on its smart glasses when people shared it with Meta AI.
From BBC ● Apr. 30, 2026
With 39 other subcontracted workers offering statements that they also ate snack from the fridge, the appellate court ruled that "it is difficult to conclude that the defendant had the intent to steal."
From Barron's ● Nov. 28, 2025
They may say that they subcontracted some of the routes for much less.
From The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 10 (of 12) Dresden Edition?Legal by Robert Green Ingersoll
Other provisions of the agreement include a “significant ongoing contribution” to build housing for hospitality workers, protections against automation and subcontracting, and premium pay for the World Cup and 2027 Super Bowl, Petersen said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
Workers were demanding salary increases, protection against subcontracting and job loss through automation, and were refusing to comply with FIFA’s request to collect sensitive private information such as nationality and home addresses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
At issue is the near-ubiquitous practice of brands subcontracting work to suppliers, who in turn contract to others, amid ever-tighter margins and scant oversight of labour conditions.
From Barron's ● Dec. 3, 2025
Once its latest ferry MV Glen Rosa is completed next year, Ferguson's has no more ship orders - just some subcontracting work from BAE Systems to keep its welders and platers occupied.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2025
No contracting or subcontracting shall be permitted by the firm inside its factory, and no operator or finisher shall be permitted more than one helper.
From Making Both Ends Meet The income and outlay of New York working girls by Sue Ainslie Clark
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.
