subcontract
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /ˈsʌb.kɒn.trækt/
KK: /sʌbˈkɒntrækt/
noun
Definition
An agreement that allows one party to hire another party to complete part of the work or responsibilities from a larger contract.
Example
The company decided to subcontract the plumbing work to a specialized contractor.
Conversation
I heard you got a new project at work, how's it going?
It's going well, but I had to subcontract some of the work to meet the deadline.
That makes sense; sometimes you just can't do it all yourself.
Exactly! The subcontract helps lighten the load and keeps everything on track.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
agreement
contract
arrangement
Antonyms
termination
cancellation
disagreement
transitive verb
Definition
To assign part of a contract to another party, usually to complete a specific task or service.
Example
The company decided to subcontract the cleaning services to a local firm.
Tense Forms
Past: subcontracted
Past Participle: subcontracted
Conversation
I heard you decided to subcontract that project.
Yeah, it was too much work for just one person.
That makes sense. Who did you subcontract it to?
Root Explanation
Subcontract → It is formed from "sub-" (meaning under or below) and "contract" (from Latin "contractus", meaning to draw together or to make an agreement). The word "subcontract" refers to an agreement made under the main contract, where a part of the work is assigned to another party.
Memory Tip
Think of a main agreement ('contract') that has additional work done 'under' it ('sub-') — that's why subcontract means to assign part of the work to someone else.
Visually Confused Words
uncontract
subtract
contract
substract