noun🔗ShareA reversible reduction in size."The muscle contraction during exercise resulted in a temporary reduction in the size of the arm. "physicsscienceChat with AIVocabulary GamePractice Reading
noun🔗ShareA period of economic decline or negative growth."The recent contraction in the local economy meant fewer jobs were available. "economybusinessfinanceChat with AIVocabulary GamePractice Reading
noun🔗ShareA shortening of a muscle when it is used."The contraction of her bicep muscle allowed her to lift the heavy box. "physiologyanatomybodymedicineChat with AIVocabulary GamePractice Reading
noun🔗ShareA strong and often painful shortening of the uterine muscles prior to or during childbirth."The mother felt a painful contraction, a tightening in her stomach, as labor began. "medicinephysiologybodysexfamilyChat with AIVocabulary GamePractice Reading
noun🔗ShareA process whereby one or more sounds of a free morpheme (a word) are lost or reduced, such that it becomes a bound morpheme (a clitic) that attaches phonologically to an adjacent word.""Isn't" is a common example of contraction, where "is not" becomes one shorter word. "linguisticsgrammarphoneticswordlanguageChat with AIVocabulary GamePractice Reading
noun🔗Share(English orthography) A word with omitted letters replaced by an apostrophe, usually resulting from the above process."The contraction "don't" is a shortened form of "do not." "grammarlanguagelinguisticswordChat with AIVocabulary GamePractice Reading
noun🔗ShareA shorthand symbol indicating an omission for the purpose of brevity."The contraction "don't" is a shorthand symbol for "do not." "grammarlanguagewritingcommunicationChat with AIVocabulary GamePractice Reading
noun🔗ShareThe process of contracting a disease."the contraction of malaria"medicinediseasephysiologyChat with AIVocabulary GamePractice Reading
noun🔗ShareSyncope, the loss of sounds from within a word.""The word 'cannot' becomes 'can't' through contraction, where the 'o' is removed." "grammarlanguagephoneticslinguisticswordChat with AIVocabulary GamePractice Reading
noun🔗ShareThe acquisition of something, generally negative."Our contraction of debt in this quarter has reduced our ability to attract investors."negativebusinesseconomyChat with AIVocabulary GamePractice Reading
noun🔗ShareA distinct stage of wound healing, wherein the wound edges are gradually pulled together."The doctor observed significant contraction of the skin around the cut on her knee, indicating the wound was healing well. "medicinephysiologyanatomybiologyscienceprocessChat with AIVocabulary GamePractice Reading
