Constrict vs. Contract: Difference and Comparison
Edited by Muazma Batool — By Muneeza Rehman — Published on December 26, 2023
"Constrict" means to tighten or make narrow, often restricting movement or flow, while "contract" means to reduce in size or to enter into an agreement.
Difference Between Constrict and Contract
"Constrict" and "contract" are two verbs that, although similar in some aspects, convey distinct actions and implications. To constrict refers to the act of making something narrower or tighter, often causing a restriction. Think of a snake that constricts its prey, preventing it from moving. On the other hand, "contract" can refer to the act of becoming smaller or shorter. It's like when metals contract in cold temperatures, reducing in size.
Muneeza Rehman
Dec 26, 2023
Another way to understand "constrict" is to visualize a passage or tube becoming tighter, perhaps limiting the flow of liquid or air. Breathing can become difficult when the airways constrict. "Contract," however, has a broader application beyond just the physical realm. In legal terms, to contract is to enter into a formal agreement with specific terms and conditions. Businesses frequently contract with suppliers to obtain goods or services.
Muazma Batool
Dec 26, 2023
Both words, "constrict" and "contract," have their origins in Latin. While "constrict" comes from "constringere," meaning "to bind together," "contract" is derived from "contrahere," meaning "to draw together." It's fascinating how their etymologies reflect their meanings, with "constrict" emphasizing binding and "contract" focusing on drawing or bringing together.
Muneeza Rehman
Dec 26, 2023
In everyday language, it's essential to distinguish between "constrict" and "contract" to convey the intended meaning accurately. While both might indicate some form of tightening or reduction, "constrict" is more about restriction, and "contract" can either refer to shrinking or formalizing an agreement.
Muneeza Rehman
Dec 26, 2023
Constrict vs. Contract Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
To tighten or make narrow
To reduce in size or make an agreement
Muneeza Rehman
Dec 26, 2023
Usage Context
Often biological or mechanical
Physical changes or legal/business contexts
Muazma Batool
Dec 26, 2023
Associated Imagery
A snake constricting its prey
A signed document or metal shrinking in cold
Leo
Dec 26, 2023
Grammatical Form
Usually a verb
Can be both a noun (an agreement) or a verb (to shrink)
Henry
Dec 26, 2023
Constrict vs. Contract Definitions
◉Constrict
To limit or bind.
The tight shirt constricted his chest, making it hard to breathe.
Elijah
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To become reduced in size.
The metal pipe will contract when exposed to cold temperatures.
Henry
Sep 24, 2023
◉Constrict
To cause to contract or shrink.
Cold air can constrict the blood vessels in the skin.
Elijah
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
A binding legal document outlining terms of agreement.
The tenant signed a contract to lease the apartment for a year.
Levi
Sep 24, 2023
◉Constrict
To make narrower, especially by encircling pressure.
The bandage began to constrict his arm, making it feel numb.
Muazma Batool
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
An agreement between two or more parties, especially one that is written and enforceable by law.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Constrict
To restrict the movement or freedom of.
Her anxiety constricted her ability to speak in public.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
The branch of law dealing with formal agreements between parties.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Constrict
To restrict the scope or freedom of; cramp
lives constricted by poverty.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Constrict
(ambitransitive) To narrow, especially by application of pressure.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
A paid assignment to murder someone
put out a contract on the mobster's life.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To enter into by contract; establish or settle by formal agreement
contract a marriage.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Constrict
To draw together; to render narrower or smaller; to bind; to cramp; to contract or cause to shrink.
Such things as constrict the fibers.
Membranous organs inclosing a cavity which their contraction serves to constrict.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To acquire or incur
contract obligations.
contract a serious illness.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Constrict
squeeze or press together;
she compressed her lips
the spasm contracted the muscle
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
(Grammar) To shorten (a word or words) by omitting or combining some of the letters or sounds, as do not to don't.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To enter into or make an agreement
contract for garbage collection.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To become reduced in size by or as if by being drawn together
The pupils of the patient's eyes contracted.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often temporary or of fixed duration and usually governed by a written agreement.
Marriage is a contract.
sign a contract
write up a contract
read a contract
countersign a contract
legally-binding contract
unwritten contract
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
(legal) An agreement which the law will enforce in some way. A legally binding contract must contain at least one promise, i.e., a commitment or offer, by an offeror to and accepted by an offeree to do something in the future. A contract is thus executory rather than executed.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
(legal) A part of legal studies dealing with laws and jurisdiction related to contracts.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
(informal) An order, usually given to a hired assassin, to kill someone.
The mafia boss put a contract out on the man who betrayed him.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
(bridge) The declarer's undertaking to win the number of tricks bid with a stated suit as trump.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
(ambitransitive) To draw together or nearer; to shorten, narrow, or lessen.
The snail’s body contracted into its shell.
to contract one’s sphere of action
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
(grammar) To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.
The word “cannot” is often contracted into “can’t”.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
(transitive) To enter into, with mutual obligations; to make a bargain or covenant for.
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Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
(intransitive) To make an agreement or contract; to covenant; to agree; to bargain.
to contract for carrying the mail
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Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
(transitive) To bring on; to incur; to acquire.
She contracted the habit of smoking in her teens.
to contract a debt
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To draw together or nearer; to reduce to a less compass; to shorten, narrow, or lessen; as, to contract one's sphere of action.
In all things desuetude doth contract and narrow our faculties.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To draw together so as to wrinkle; to knit.
Thou didst contract and purse thy brow.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To bring on; to incur; to acquire; as, to contract a habit; to contract a debt; to contract a disease.
Each from each contract new strength and light.
Such behavior we contract by having much conversed with persons of high station.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To enter into, with mutual obligations; to make a bargain or covenant for.
We have contracted an inviolable amity, peace, and lague with the aforesaid queen.
Many persons . . . had contracted marriage within the degrees of consanguinity . . . prohibited by law.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To betroth; to affiance.
The truth is, she and I, long since contracted,Are now so sure, that nothing can dissolve us.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To be drawn together so as to be diminished in size or extent; to shrink; to be reduced in compass or in duration; as, iron contracts in cooling; a rope contracts when wet.
Years contracting to a moment.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To make an agreement; to covenant; to agree; to bargain; as, to contract for carrying the mail.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
The agreement of two or more persons, upon a sufficient consideration or cause, to do, or to abstain from doing, some act; an agreement in which a party undertakes to do, or not to do, a particular thing; a formal bargain; a compact; an interchange of legal rights.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
A formal writing which contains the agreement of parties, with the terms and conditions, and which serves as a proof of the obligation.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
The act of formally betrothing a man and woman.
This is the the night of the contract.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
a binding agreement between two or more persons that is enforceable by law
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
(contract bridge) the highest bid becomes the contract setting the number of tricks that the bidder must make
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
a variety of bridge in which the bidder receives points toward game only for the number of tricks he bid
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
engage by written agreement;
They signed two new pitchers for the next season
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
squeeze or press together;
she compressed her lips
the spasm contracted the muscle
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
become smaller or draw together;
The fabric shrank
The balloon shrank
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness;
He got AIDS
She came down with pneumonia
She took a chill
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
compress or concentrate;
Congress condensed the three-year plan into a six-month plan
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
make or become more narrow or restricted;
The selection was narrowed
The road narrowed
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Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
reduce in scope while retaining essential elements;
The manuscript must be shortened
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To enter into an agreement with specific conditions.
She will contract with the company for another year of service.
Jonathan
Sep 24, 2023
◉Contract
To become affected with (an illness).
Many people contract the flu during winter.
Jonathan
Sep 24, 2023
Constrict vs. Contract Frequently Asked Questions
Is "constrict" used in medical contexts?
Yes, "constrict" can refer to the narrowing of passages, such as blood vessels or airways.
Muneeza Rehman
Dec 26, 2023
Can "contract" refer to an illness?
Yes, to "contract" an illness means to become infected or affected by it.
Muazma Batool
Dec 26, 2023
Does "constrict" have a noun form?
Yes, the noun form of "constrict" is "constriction," referring to the act or state of constricting.
William
Dec 26, 2023
What happens to airways when they constrict?
When airways constrict, airflow is reduced, making breathing difficult.
Lucas
Dec 26, 2023
Can "contract" be used as a noun?
Yes, a "contract" can be a legal or formal agreement between two parties.
Henry
Dec 26, 2023
Can businesses "constrict" with suppliers?
The correct term is "contract"; businesses "contract" with suppliers for goods or services.
Nolan
Dec 26, 2023
What's the opposite of "contract" in the context of temperature?
The opposite of "contract" in that context is "expand," as materials often expand when heated.
Kaitlyn
Dec 26, 2023
What does it mean when something constricts?
When something constricts, it becomes narrower or tighter, often causing restriction.
Muneeza Rehman
Dec 26, 2023
Is it correct to say a snake "contracts" its prey?
While both verbs imply tightening, it's more accurate to say a snake "constricts" its prey.
Muneeza Rehman
Dec 26, 2023
In which field might you frequently encounter the term "contract"?
"Contract" is frequently used in legal, business, and real estate fields to denote formal agreements.
Jonathan
Dec 26, 2023
Content Creators
Written by
Muneeza RehmanAt Comparisons.wiki, Muneeza skillfully navigates the vast sea of information, ensuring clarity and accuracy as the lead content editor. With a keen eye for detail, she curates every comparison to enlighten and engage readers.
Edited by
Muazma BatoolAs a content editor, Muazma Batool is not just a grammar guru but a creative mastermind who breathes life into every word. With an eagle eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, she transforms bland text into engaging content that captivates audiences and drives results.
