contingency

noun

kən-ˈtin-jən(t)-sē How to pronounce contingency (audio)
Definition of contingencynext
1
as in possibility
something that might happen agencies trying to provide for every contingency in a national emergency

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in provision
something upon which the carrying out of an agreement or offer depends an offer to buy the house, with the contingency that it pass inspection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun contingency differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of contingency are crisis, emergency, exigency, juncture, pinch, straits, and strait. While all these words mean "a critical or crucial time or state of affairs," contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

contingency plans

In what contexts can crisis take the place of contingency?

The meanings of crisis and contingency largely overlap; however, crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.

a crisis of confidence

When is emergency a more appropriate choice than contingency?

While in some cases nearly identical to contingency, emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies

When might exigency be a better fit than contingency?

The synonyms exigency and contingency are sometimes interchangeable, but exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

provide for exigencies

When could juncture be used to replace contingency?

The words juncture and contingency can be used in similar contexts, but juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.

an important juncture in our country's history

How does the word pinch relate to other synonyms for contingency?

Pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.

come through in a pinch

How are the words strait and straits related as synonyms of contingency?

Strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

in dire straits

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contingency Having a plan that includes a pet-friendly place to stay, contingency contacts and copies of documentation can help ensure all members of the family, including the four-legged ones, stay safe. —Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 3 May 2025 Or perhaps Pelinka should have lined up contingencies in case the trade for Williams didn’t work out. —Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025 As Hackers Attack — Here’s How Professionals Weigh In Testing coordinators and administrators criticized the lack of contingency planning. —Scott White, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025 Additional project costs are expected to include utility connections, builders risk insurance and contingencies, according to past reporting. —R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for contingency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contingency
  1. possibility
  2. provision
  3. event
  4. requirement
  5. contingent
  6. condition
  7. case
  8. stipulation
Noun
  • Ivey sees possibilities for students elsewhere, or in the future.
    — Dr. Marlena Corcoran, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • Additionally, all mood data came from caregiver reports, introducing the possibility of bias.
    — Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Definition of possibility
Noun
  • Beyond the potential impact on foreign direct investment in the U.S. overall, certain provision of the OBB may have a broader impact, especially affecting common asset protection and wealth planning strategies.
    — Priya Prakash Royal Esq. LL.M. MBA AEP TEP, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
  • At the time, the contractual provision looked like a potential escape valve if the former New England Patriots head coach wanted to return to the NFL.
    — Matt Baker, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Definition of provision
Noun
  • Parades; live entertainment; food, drink and merchandise vendors; community resources; and family-friendly activities are central to all of these events.
    — Greta Cross, USA Today, 2 June 2025
  • The International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC), one of the oldest and most prestigious annual global spirit judging events, just released the results for their 2025 event.
    — Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Definition of event
Noun
  • The requirement to check in 60 minutes before an international flight remains unchanged.
    — Dennis Green, AFAR Media, 2 June 2025
  • During their last meeting in May, both countries agreed to exchange their requirements for a ceasefire.
    — Jade Walker, CNN Money, 2 June 2025
Definition of requirement
Noun
  • One way the club has begun to achieve that, according to French soccer expert Jonathan Johnson, is by finally starting to lean more on its French contingent.
    — Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
  • But similar to the last CBA’s improved wage clauses, which included a 30% salary cap bump that was applauded at the time, the language around family planning services and child care benefits are now considered inadequate by a large contingent of players.
    — Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 30 May 2025
Definition of contingent
Noun
  • The industry continued to grow until 2020, when a combination of weather and economic conditions dealt setbacks to farmers and processors alike.
    — Annika Merrilees, Sacbee.com, 7 June 2025
  • This also tends to include the use of World Models, consisting of broad constructions about how the physical world works, such as that we are bound to operate under conditions of gravity, and other physical laws of nature, see the link here.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of condition
Noun
  • In one sense, doctors have always been writers, penning case reports since antiquity.
    — Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
  • In one case, the high court halted an order from a judge in Maryland that has restricted the team's access to the Social Security Administration under federal privacy laws.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 June 2025
Definition of case
Noun
  • Shortly before the vote, then-National League President Bart Giamatti called Mayor Eugene Sawyer and informed him Chicago had been selected as the 1990 All-Star site under the stipulation the city council approved the lights measure.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
  • Various pills tested positive for MDMA, alprazolam, ketamine and methamphetamine, according to the stipulation.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
Definition of stipulation

Browse Nearby Words

contingencies
contingency
contingent
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Cite this Entry

“Contingency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contingency. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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