contractor

noun

con·​trac·​tor

sense 1 is usually

ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər 

sense 2 is usually

kən-ˈtrak- 

1

: one that contracts or is party to a contract: such as

a

: one that contracts to perform work or provide supplies

b

: one that contracts to erect buildings

2

: something (such as a muscle) that contracts or shortens

Examples of contractor in a Sentence

They hired a contractor to remodel the kitchen.

Recent Examples on the Web

Limited Small Business and Contractor Workforce Capacity—Many local trade contractors who are essential in executing energy efficiency projects and grid upgrades, struggle to scale due to workforce constraints. —Brynn Cooksey, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025

By acting, essentially, as an in-house contractor for the federal government, the team did not need to directly spend taxpayer dollars and was instead reimbursed by partner agencies. —Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2025

Government contractors are not counted as part of the federal workforce, neither are the 1.3 million active-duty military personnel. —Sara Chernikoff, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025

The office paid a contractor $150,000 to produce the study, which has never been repeated since. —Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin contractor "party to a contract," from Latin contrac-, variant stem of contrahere "to draw together, reduce in size, bring together, enter into (an agreement, formal relationship) + -tor, agent suffix — more at contract entry 2

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing contractor

• independent contractor

Rhymes for contractor

• attractor
• cofactor
• compactor
• contactor
• distractor
• extractor
• impactor
• protractor
• reactor
• redactor
• refractor
• retractor

Kids Definition

contractor

noun

con·​trac·​tor ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər  kən-ˈtrak- 

: one that enters into a contract

especially : a person who contracts to perform work or provide supplies at a certain price or within a certain time

building contractor

Medical Definition

contractor

noun

con·​trac·​tor ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər  kən-ˈ 

: something (as a muscle) that contracts or shortens

Legal Definition

contractor

noun

con·​trac·​tor ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər, kən-ˈtrak- 

: one that contracts: as

a

: one that contracts to perform work or provide supplies

b

: one that contracts to erect buildings