noun / verb · academic
contract
UK/ˈkɒntrækt/ /kənˈtrækt/US/ˈkɑːntrækt/ /kənˈtrækt/CON·tract (noun) / con·TRACT (verb)
as a noun: a formal agreement between parties; as a verb: to enter into an agreement, or to become smaller / catch (a disease)
Examples
“The firm signed a three-year contract with the supplier.”
“Muscles may contract when exposed to cold.”
“The government will contract out some services to private companies.”
Band 8 sentence
“Small businesses often struggle when long-term contracts prevent them from adapting to market changes.”
Collocations
- sign/enter into a contract
- contract out
- breach of contract
Word family
Common mistakes
sign a contract with someone vs sign contract to someone→sign a contract with someone
contract disease = contract a disease→contract a disease
Say it for a higher band
5deal→6agreement→7+contract
Synonyms
agreement
Easily confused
agreement
“We reached an agreement about the schedule.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Sublist 1
Learn it with its set