Phrasal verb
contract in
Definition
phrasal verb. to choose to join a system or agreement, especially one involving a pension or a legal contract.
phrasal verb. to formally elect to participate in a specific scheme, collective agreement, or legal arrangement; often used in the context of labour relations or financial systems.
Examples
“You must contract in if you want the extra benefits.”
“New employees are not automatically enrolled in the private healthcare plan; they must actively contract in during their first month.”
“The legislation allowed union members to contract in to the political fund rather than having the contribution deducted by default.”
Examples
simple
“You must contract in if you want the extra benefits.”
contextual
“New employees are not automatically enrolled in the private healthcare plan; they must actively contract in during their first month.”
complex
“The legislation allowed union members to contract in to the political fund rather than having the contribution deducted by default.”
Usage
often used in British legal and employment contexts regarding pensions or union dues.
Teaching tip
contrast this with 'contract out', which is the more common term for leaving a collective system; emphasize that this is a formal, administrative action.
Pitfall
He contracted in the pension.
He contracted in to the pension.
the verb requires the preposition 'to' when followed by the specific scheme or system.
Phrasal verb
Particles
in
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
contract + in (+ to + object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/contract-in