contracting
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: contractings
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Getting smaller; drawing itself together into a smaller area.
Adjective
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
The act of something that contracts or shrinks; contraction.
Noun
Examples
the contractings of his muscles
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
Meaning · English
Work done on a contract basis.
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “contracting” mean?
Getting smaller; drawing itself together into a smaller area.
Is “contracting” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.