subcontract

1 of 2

noun

sub·​con·​tract ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt 

: a contract between a party to an original contract and a third party

especially : one to provide all or a specified part of the work or materials required in the original contract

subcontract

2 of 2

verb

sub·​con·​tract ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt 

ˌsəb-kən-ˈtrakt

subcontracted; subcontracting; subcontracts

intransitive verb

: to let out or undertake work under a subcontract

transitive verb

1

: to engage a third party to perform under a subcontract all or part of (work included in an original contract)

—sometimes used with out

2

: to undertake (work) under a subcontract

Examples of subcontract in a Sentence

Verb

The large firm subcontracted with a smaller company.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Investigators are apparently also looking at city contracts and subcontracts awarded on an emergency basis to set up and operate migrant shelters. —Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2024

Clients came to include Walgreens — through a subcontract with Allied Universal, one the nation’s largest providers of guards, to protect about 15 stores. —Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2024

Verb

Entrepreneurs can train, and payroll ready-to-deploy teams that service providers can subcontract for dependable deployment wherever needed, and the power of negotiation will be with the technicians. —Cheri Beranek, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024

The local fire department then subcontracts to a private provider. —Patrick Gleason, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1660, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1842, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

subcontract

noun

sub·​con·​tract

ˈsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt,

-ˌkän-

: a contract between a party to an original contract and a third party who usually agrees to supply work or materials required in the original contract

subcontract

ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt

ˈsəb-;

ˌsəb-kən-ˈtrakt

verb

subcontractor

ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər

ˈsəb-;

ˌsəb-kən-ˈtrak-tər

noun

Legal Definition

subcontract

noun

sub·​con·​tract ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt 

: a contract between a party to an original contract and a third party that assigns part of the performance (as building a house) of the original contract to the third party

subcontract

ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt, -kən-ˈtrakt 

verb