contract
/ˈkɒn.trækt/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A formal written agreement between people or groups. It lists what each side must do.
- She signed the contract yesterday.
- The contract ends in December.
- Read the contract before you agree.
verb
If something contracts, it gets smaller or tighter. It can also mean to catch a disease.
- Muscles contract during exercise.
- The metal contracts in cold weather.
- He contracted malaria last year.
Adinary Nuance
As a noun, contract is more specific than agreement. A contract is usually formal, written, and legally binding. An agreement can be informal, verbal, or not legally enforceable. As a verb, contract is different from shorten or shrink because it often sounds more technical or medical.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- hợp đồng
- Spanish
- contrato
- Chinese
- 合同
- Japanese
- 契約
- Korean
- 계약
Etymology
Contract comes from Latin contractus, from contrahere, meaning 'draw together' or 'make an agreement'. It entered English through French in the Middle Ages.
Common phrases
sign a contractbreach a contractemployment contractcontract terms
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a contract and an agreement?
- A contract is usually formal and legally binding. An agreement is more general and may be informal.
- Is contract a noun or a verb?
- It is both. As a noun, it means a legal agreement. As a verb, it means to become smaller or catch a disease.
- Is contract used in business writing?
- Yes. It is very common in business, law, and jobs.
- How do I use contract in a sentence?
- You can say, 'We signed the contract' or 'The muscles contract.'