contingent
- 01 C1 Advanced
adj.happening only if something else happens first.
adj.dependent on or conditioned by something else; occurring only if certain circumstances are met.
Simple“The sale of the house is contingent on the buyer getting a bank loan.”
In context“The success of the merger is contingent upon the board's approval of the revised financial projections by the end of the quarter.”
UsageUsually followed by the preposition 'on' or 'upon'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
adj.describing something that might happen but is not certain.
adj.referring to an event that is possible but not guaranteed to occur; not logically necessary.
Simple“We need to plan for contingent risks that might affect our travel.”
In context“The philosopher argued that human existence is a contingent fact rather than a logical necessity.”
Antonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
n.a group of people who represent a larger organization or country.
n.a gathering of persons representative of some larger group; often used for military units or political delegations.
Simple“The French contingent at the conference was the largest one there.”
In context“The largest contingent of peacekeepers was deployed to the border region to monitor the ceasefire agreement.”
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
n.an event that might happen in the future, especially one that causes problems.
n.an incidental event or circumstance that is unforeseen or dependent on chance.
Simple“The budget includes a small amount of money for any unexpected contingent.”
In context“The legal team prepared for every possible contingent that might arise during the cross-examination of the lead witness.”
UsageIn modern usage, 'contingency' is more common for this sense.
Synonyms
“On board the vessels were more than 8,600 foreign soldiers, the first major contingent of German troops to reach the American Colonies.”
“The most radical contingent dominated the conversation, proposing a mass breakout as a way for the men to redeem themselves after the humiliation of surrendering.”
From Middle English, from Old French contingent, from Medieval Latin contingens (“possible, contingent”), present participle of contingere (“to touch, meet, attain to, happen”), from com- (“together”) + tangere (“to touch”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.