as in compression
the act or process of reducing the size or volume of something by or as if by pressing
most substances undergo contraction when cooled
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contraction
But three days later, on her birthday, contractions returned and didn't stop.
—
Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
More contractions could be coming soon.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2025
This cramping can sometimes be false labor contractions known as Braxton Hicks.
—Jessica Meszaros, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
How creatine works Creatine plays an essential support role in energizing the cells for brain activity, muscle contractions, and even immune responses.
—Matt Fuchs, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
More contractions could be coming soon.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2025
This cramping can sometimes be false labor contractions known as Braxton Hicks.
—Jessica Meszaros, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
How creatine works Creatine plays an essential support role in energizing the cells for brain activity, muscle contractions, and even immune responses.
—Matt Fuchs, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contraction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contraction
Noun
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Bieber wore a pair of white briefs, a silver necklace and a single compression sock, and tagged his pals in the post, using three pink double heart emojis as the caption.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
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If TPUs offer similar performance at better economics, Nvidia risks margin compression.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Economists and researchers agreed that a healthy economy encourages families to have more children to reproduce, while a contracting economy can lead some families to hold off on children.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Sep. 2025
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In government contracting, where bids are competitive and profitability is not always a factor, this model persists.—
Ryan Gray,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Sisters flit in and out of the house while others gab about the new semester, sipping on iced coffees that are quickly gathering condensation.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
4 Sep. 2025
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Just like homemade bags, each sleeve has an outer fabric ring that wraps around the cup, with a bottom piece to keep all condensation contained.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Simple exercises, such as ball squeezes, towel twists, dead hangs, and farmers' carries, can build grip strength using everyday items or basic equipment.—
Aubrey Bailey,
Verywell Health,
8 Sep. 2025
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The insurance squeeze is not just limited to California.—
Kyle Reiman,
ABC News,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Yet what might sound like constriction has yielded sharper collaboration.—
Jasmine Browley,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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And being precious with a single period is not a constriction.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
9 Sep. 2025
Video
On Contractions of Multiple Words
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Cite this Entry
“Contraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contraction. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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