con·tact
ˈkän-ˌtakt 
1
a
: union or junction of surfaces
Cooling begins when the lava makes contact with the air.
b
: the apparent touching or mutual tangency of the limbs of two celestial bodies or of the disk of one body with the shadow of another during an eclipse, transit, or occultation
c(1)
: the junction of two electrical conductors through which a current passes
(2)
: a special part made for such a junction
The remote control wasn't working because the battery contacts needed to be cleaned.
2
a
: association, relationship
students and teachers in daily contact
b
: connection, communication
I lost contact with her years ago.
c
: an establishing of communication with someone or an observing or receiving of a significant signal from a person or object
radar contact with Mars
3
: a person serving as a go-between, messenger, connection, or source of special information
business contacts
4
: contact lens
She wears contacts more often than glasses.
con·tact
ˈkän-ˌtakt
kən-ˈtakt
kən-ˈtakt
contacted; contacting; contacts
: to make contact
the point at which the two surfaces contact
1
: to bring into contact
2
a
: to enter or be in contact with : join
The spark contacted the gunpowder.
b
: to get in communication with
Contact your local dealer.
con·tact
ˈkän-ˌtakt
: maintaining, involving, or activated or caused by contact
contact poisons
contact sports
contact dermatitis
Examples of contact in a Sentence
Noun
Physical contact between a mother and child is very important.
a disease that is spread by sexual contact
Contacts between the two leaders have been frequent in recent weeks.
I applied for a job at that law firm because I have a contact there.
Verb
For more information, contact the city's tourism office.
We were able to contact them by radio.
She contacted everyone on the list.
Adjective
Ice hockey is a contact sport.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The tone-setting sequence put Cabrera into cruise control, getting a mix of whiffs and soft contact to limit the Angels to just one hit in six shutout innings en route to a 7-2 Cubs victory.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
Fly Legacy Aviation has contacted the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board about the crash, according to Souponetsky.
—Kerri Corrado, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
However, Barkov began doing individual on-ice drills in January and joined the team for practice sessions in a non-contact jersey in mid-March.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contact
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
In March 2021, then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tried to have Swalwell removed from the House Intelligence Committee over his contact with Fang, citing the same interactions now at the center of Patel's file review.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The tone-setting sequence put Cabrera into cruise control, getting a mix of whiffs and soft contact to limit the Angels to just one hit in six shutout innings en route to a 7-2 Cubs victory.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer John Duncan at 860-584-3011.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
Fly Legacy Aviation has contacted the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board about the crash, according to Souponetsky.
—Kerri Corrado, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
But in the top of the third in a scoreless game, Ponce attempted to field a ground ball and suffered a non-contact injury, hopping for a few seconds in pain before rolling to the dirt.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
However, Barkov began doing individual on-ice drills in January and joined the team for practice sessions in a non-contact jersey in mid-March.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contact
Cite this Entry
“Contact.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contact. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
contact
1 of 3 noun
con·tact
ˈkän-ˌtakt
1
: a meeting or touching of surfaces
2
: the connection of two electrical conductors through which a current passes or a part made for such a connection
3
: a person one knows who has influence especially in the business or political world
our contacts in Los Angeles may be able to assist you
4
: an establishing of communication especially with someone or something distant
make contact by radio
5
contact
2 of 3 verb
con·tact
ˈkän-ˌtakt
kən-ˈtakt
1
: to bring or come into contact
2
: to get in touch or communication with
contact your local dealer for details
contact
3 of 3 adjective
con·tact
ˈkän-ˌtakt
: involving or acting upon contact
football and ice hockey are contact sports
contact insecticides
Etymology
Noun
from French contact or Latin contactus, both meaning "a touching of body surfaces," from Latin contingere "to have contact with, affect, happen," from con-, com- "with, together" and tangere "to touch" — related to contagious, contingent, tangent, tangible
Medical Definition
contact
1 of 2 noun
con·tact
ˈkän-ˌtakt
1
: union or junction of body surfaces
sexual contact
2
a
: the junction of two electrical conductors through which a current passes
b
: a special part that has been made for such a junction
3
: direct experience through the senses
loss of contact with reality
4
contact
2 of 2 adjective
: caused or transmitted by direct or indirect contact (as with an allergen or a contagious disease)
a contact allergy
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