Word
contraction
Phoneticscon·trac·tion, stress on the second syllable
US/kənˈtɹækʃən/
UK/kəntɹˈækʃən/
Countable noun Linguistics
Definition
n. a shorter form of a word or group of words, made by leaving out letters. You use contractions in speaking and informal writing to sound more natural.
n. a shortened form of a word or phrase, typically formed by omitting sounds or letters and often marked by an apostrophe. Common in spoken English and informal writing; generally avoided in formal academic prose.
Examples
“Don't use contractions in formal essays.”
“She used contractions like 'can't' and 'won't' to make her speech sound more relaxed.”
“The author's heavy use of contractions gives the narrative a conversational tone, bridging the gap between formal storytelling and casual dialogue.”
Examples
simple
“Don't use contractions in formal essays.”
contextual
“She used contractions like 'can't' and 'won't' to make her speech sound more relaxed.”
complex
“The author's heavy use of contractions gives the narrative a conversational tone, bridging the gap between formal storytelling and casual dialogue.”
Real-World Examples
“But shaken by weirdly spaced contractions, Sarah takes Jason aside and admits that she has a bad feeling.” “Lorna, who is married to Chelsea's brother Steven, said her contractions then came on quickly.” Etymology
PIE word *ḱóm From Late Middle English contraccioun, contraxion (“spasm, contraction; constriction, shrinking; act of pressing together”), from Old French contraction (modern French contraction), from Latin contractiō(n) (“a drawing together, contraction; abridgement, shortening; dejection, despondency”), from contrahō (“to draw things together, assemble, collect, gather; to enter into a contract”) + -tiō(n) (suffix forming nouns relating to actions or their results). Contrahō is derived from con- (prefix denoting a bringing together of objects) + trahō (“to drag, pull”) (probably from Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ- (“to drag, pull; to run”)). By surface analysis, contract + -ion (suffix denoting actions or processes, or their results).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Domain
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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