social contract

noun

: an actual or hypothetical agreement among the members of an organized society or between a community and its ruler that defines and limits the rights and duties of each

Examples of social contract in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, much of the latest stimulus seems aimed at shoring up the economy’s weakest points just enough to signal that the party has not abandoned its role as a good steward of the economy and remains committed to upholding its end of China’s social contract. —Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 31 Oct. 2024

Crafting your team’s social contract is like stacking hands on the things that really matter. —Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

For decades, work was governed by an unspoken social contract. —Nirit Cohen, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024

Particularly when people are frequenting the same establishments regularly, tipping becomes a bit of a social contract between employees and customers, with good service and friendliness being rewarded. —Joe Moglia, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

social contract

noun

so·​cial contract

: an actual or hypothetical agreement among individuals forming an organized society or between the community and the ruler that defines and limits the rights and duties of each