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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
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Word History
First Known Use
1660, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near social contract
Cite this Entry
“Social contract.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20contract. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
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
More from Merriam-Webster on social contract
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about social contract
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