Skip to content
WORDS, MADE CLEAR.
Your everyday English companion

Home/Thesaurus/contracting
Synonyms & antonyms

contracting Synonyms & Antonyms

What Is Another Word for Contracting?

Common synonyms for contracting are catch, get and abate. Its opposites include expand and increase.

Choose a meaning, then find a word that fits your sentence.

Contracting as a Verb

1

present participle and gerund of contract

2

To draw together or nearer; to shorten, narrow, or lessen.

The snail's body contracted into its shell.

Synonyms & similar words

Antonyms & near antonyms

3

(grammar) To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.

The word "cannot" is often contracted into "can't".

Synonyms & similar words

Antonyms & near antonyms

4

To enter into a contract with.

Synonyms & similar words

Antonyms & near antonyms

5

To enter into, with mutual obligations; to make a bargain or covenant for.

Synonyms & similar words

Antonyms & near antonyms

6

To make an agreement or contract; to covenant; to agree; to bargain.

to contract for carrying the mail

Synonyms & similar words

Antonyms & near antonyms

7

To bring on; to incur; to acquire.

She contracted the habit of smoking in her teens.

Synonyms & similar words

Antonyms & near antonyms

8

To gain or acquire (an illness).

Synonyms & similar words

Antonyms & near antonyms

9

To draw together so as to wrinkle; to knit.

Synonyms & similar words

Antonyms & near antonyms

10

To betroth; to affiance.

Synonyms & similar words

Antonyms & near antonyms

Contracting as an Adjective

1

Getting smaller; drawing itself together into a smaller area.

Contracting as a Noun

1

The act of something that contracts or shrinks; contraction.

the contractings of his muscles

2

Work done on a contract basis.

Contracting in a Sentence

the contractings of his muscles

The snail's body contracted into its shell.

The word "cannot" is often contracted into "can't".

to contract for carrying the mail

She contracted the habit of smoking in her teens.

Word Forms & Grammar

contracting

contracting (not comparable)

contracting (countable and uncountable, plural contractings)

Quick Facts About Contracting

Part of speechverb, adjective, noun
Meaningpresent participle and gerund of contract
Synonymscatch, get and abate
Antonymsexpand, increase and grow
Pluralcontractings

Quick Answers About Contracting

Is contracting a verb or an adjective?

Contracting is mainly used as a verb, but it can also be used as an adjective and a noun.

What is the opposite of contracting?

The opposite of contracting can be expressed with words like expand, increase, grow and lengthen.

What is the plural of contracting?

The plural of contracting is contractings.

More About Contracting On Meaning Stash

More Words Starting With “Cont”