English Reference

Word

contact

Phoneticscon·tact, stress on the first syllable

/ˈkɑnˌtækt/

Definitions

01communication

B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. the act of communicating with someone, especially by calling or writing to them.

n. the state or act of establishing communication with another party.

“I have been in regular contact with my old school friends via email.”

“The rescue team finally established radio contact with the stranded hikers after several hours of searching in the dense fog.”

Antonyms

02a helpful person

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a person you know who can give you information or help, especially in business.

n. an acquaintance or associate who can provide information, influence, or assistance within a professional or social network.

“She has several useful contacts in the fashion industry who helped her find a job.”

“Leveraging his extensive network of political contacts, the lobbyist secured an early meeting with the undersecretary to discuss the proposed legislation.”

03physical touch

B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. the state of two things or people touching each other.

n. the state of physical touching or immediate proximity between two surfaces or bodies.

“The disease is spread through direct contact with infected animals.”

“The technician warned that any skin contact with the corrosive cleaning fluid would result in immediate chemical burns.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

04eye lenses

B1 · Intermediate Plural noun Medicine Informal

n. small, thin pieces of plastic that you wear on your eyes to help you see better.

n. a corrective, cosmetic, or therapeutic lens placed directly on the cornea of the eye.

“I prefer wearing contacts to glasses when I go to the gym.”

“After years of wearing daily-disposable contacts, he decided to undergo laser eye surgery to correct his myopia permanently.”

Synonyms

contact lenses

05electrical connection

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Science Technical

n. a part of an electrical device that touches another part to let electricity flow.

n. a junction where two electrical conductors touch, allowing current to pass between them.

“The remote control stopped working because the battery contacts were dirty.”

“The engineer identified a faulty contact in the primary circuit board as the cause of the intermittent power failures.”

06geological boundary

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical

n. the place where two different types of rock meet underground.

n. the surface or plane where two different rock masses or formations meet.

“The miners followed the contact between the granite and the gold-bearing quartz.”

“Structural mapping revealed that the ore body was concentrated primarily along the contact between the volcanic and sedimentary layers.”

Synonyms

07to reach out to

A2 · Elementary

v. to write to or speak to someone.

v. to initiate communication with a person or organisation.

“You can contact our customer service team by phone or through our website.”

“The department head requested that all staff contact the human resources office directly to update their emergency contact information.”

Pitfall

Please contact with me if you have questions.

Please contact me if you have questions.

The verb 'contact' is transitive and does not take the preposition 'with'.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “contact” in context.

Verb

01. contact lens

“A contact lens can sometimes cause eye irritation.”

noun + noun

02. establish contact

“The rescue team is trying to establish contact with the hikers.”

verb + noun

03. contact details

“Please leave your contact details at the reception desk.”

noun + noun

Adjective

04. direct contact

“He had been in direct contact with the virus.”

adj + noun

05. contact form

06. come into contact with

“The skin should not come into contact with the chemical.”

07. contact direct

08. initial contact

09. keep in touch with

“It is important to keep in touch with your professional network.”

10. contacted for comment

11. contact police

12. contact tracing

Confusables

contact vs contact with

Contact is a transitive verb that takes a direct object, while contact with is a noun phrase used after a verb like have or make.

RememberContact someone (verb). Have contact with someone (noun).

Etymology

From Latin contactus, from contingō (“I touch on all sides”), from tangō (“I touch”). Used in English since the 17th century.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Idioms

The word in film

Contact · 1997 · Sci-Fi

Directed by:
Robert Zemeckis
Starring:
Bill Clinton, Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey

Jodie Foster stars in this Robert Zemeckis film as a scientist who discovers a radio signal from deep space. The story follows her efforts to establish a stable line of communication with an alien civilization for the first time in human history.

Domain

Mining

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
Frequency
Very common
Level
B1 · IntermediateOxford
Updated

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