# contingency

/kənˈtɪndʒənsi/ (US) · /kəntˈɪndʒənsi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/contingency
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. a backup plan or provision

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

something that might happen in the future, especially a problem, that you must be prepared for.

For teachers: a future event or circumstance which is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty.

- We have a contingency plan in case the outdoor wedding is ruined by rain.
- The government has developed several contingencies to address a potential energy crisis during the winter months.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'for'.

Teaching tip: Learners often encounter this in the phrase 'contingency plan', which is more common in business than the standalone noun.

### 2. extra money for emergencies

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

an extra amount of money that is saved to pay for unexpected costs.

For teachers: a sum of money set aside to cover unforeseen expenses, particularly within a project budget or financial contract.

- The total budget includes a ten percent contingency for any extra building costs.
- The project manager insisted on a significant contingency to mitigate the risks associated with fluctuating raw material prices.

Usage: Usually functions as an uncountable noun when referring to the general fund, but countable when referring to specific line items.

Teaching tip: In professional project management, this is a standard term for the 'safety margin' in a budget.

### 3. the state of being uncertain

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic · Formal

the fact that something depends on chance or other events to happen.

For teachers: the philosophical or logical status of being neither necessary nor impossible; the quality of happening by chance.

- The contingency of life means that even the best plans can change in a second.
- The historian argued that the revolution was a matter of historical contingency rather than an inevitable outcome of social forces.

Usage: Uncountable in this abstract sense.

Teaching tip: This is a high-level academic sense used in philosophy and logic to discuss things that are not guaranteed to happen.

## Examples

- We have a backup plan as a contingency.
- The company kept extra cash as a contingency against sudden market drops.
- Diplomats drafted a detailed contingency strategy to manage the crisis should negotiations collapse entirely.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.