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

Now, offshore wind developers, submarine cable companies and defense contractors are pouring money into high‑resolution seafloor mapping. —Natalie Sum Yue Chung, Fortune, 3 May 2026

The decision will put 17,000 workers out of a job, including 14,000 Spirit employees and thousands of contractors and other people whose jobs depend on Spirit. —Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 2 May 2026

One local contractor later told me that a woman from Washington had called his business, urging him to get down to the scene with his excavator. —Robin Romm, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026

But the building’s current owner has said that — between engineering reports showing structural issues, contractors expressing safety concerns and high costs for rehab, even with potential tax credits — restoring the Jeserich was not feasible. —Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026

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