subcontract

1 of 2

noun

sub·​con·​tract ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt How to pronounce subcontract (audio)
: a contract between a party to an original contract and a third party
especially : one to provide all or a specified part of the work or materials required in the original contract

subcontract

2 of 2

verb

sub·​con·​tract ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt How to pronounce subcontract (audio)
ˌsəb-kən-ˈtrakt
subcontracted; subcontracting; subcontracts

intransitive verb

: to let out or undertake work under a subcontract

transitive verb

1
: to engage a third party to perform under a subcontract all or part of (work included in an original contract)
sometimes used with out
2
: to undertake (work) under a subcontract

Examples of subcontract in a Sentence

Verb The large firm subcontracted with a smaller company.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Following the company’s withdrawal, subcontracts were picked up by Microsoft, Amazon, and Palantir, among others. Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Jan. 2024 In one of those cases, Kiewit pushed state officials to set aside the bid from JT Cleary even after the Port Authority had already voted to award the subcontract to that company. Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 20 Nov. 2022 The standard funder-grantee relationship can feel transactional: the foundation sets a goal and subcontracts with a nonprofit to meet it, and to provide quantifiable proof of effectiveness along the way. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2023 The model with which large employers like Amazon subcontract work to other companies is becoming increasingly common, said Ellen Reese, chair of the labor studies program at UC Riverside, who studies warehouse and labor economics in the Inland Empire. Mariana Duran, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2023 As a result, the company’s subcontract was terminated in July 2022, according to the lawsuit. Amy Yurkanin | Ayurkanin@al.com, al, 25 June 2023 Nate Johnson will serve as a project engineer, responsible for maintaining construction documents, subcontracts and purchase orders. Laura Groch, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2023 Among its list of complaints in the letter signed by Bernstein, Cardinal XLIII accused DCG of: awarding subcontracts without approval, not producing design drawings in a timely manner and significant omissions in the drawings that had been submitted. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 24 May 2023 Shi believes Shanghai Select Safety Products outsources to cut labor costs and subcontracts portions of work to the Chishan Prison corporation. Zhen Wang, Journal Sentinel, 6 May 2023
Verb
Italy's largest unions harshly criticized the government for not addressing workplace safety issues, particularly subcontracting criteria, and announced national strikes in the coming weeks. Giada Zampano The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 18 Feb. 2024 The new contract would also leave in place restrictions on Kaiser’s ability to outsource or subcontract union jobs, which were included in the prior contract that Kaiser and the unions agreed upon in 2019. Michael McQuarrie, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2023 Joyce Williams, director of Dallas’ small business center, told the City Council before the vote that around 51% of the subcontracting firms are owned by women and people of color, and that tally is made up of 18 firms made up of owners who are African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American. Everton Bailey Jr., Dallas News, 13 Sep. 2023 Falck no longer faces steep fines for falling short on ambulance hours and response times, but it is required to subcontract with a second ambulance provider to boost service. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2023 Washington will subcontract the job of containing Iran, the principal source of regional instability, to Israel and Saudi Arabia in the Levant and the Persian Gulf, respectively. Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2019 Though the company is included in a subcontracting deal for the fulfillment of a joint $16.5 million Defense Department Javelin production contract awarded to Lockheed Martin and Raytheon in 2019, taking on new work would be difficult. Jeff Link, WIRED, 19 July 2023 Falck would no longer face steep fines for falling short on ambulance hours and response times, but the company would be required to subcontract with a second ambulance provider to boost service. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2023 Genuine Article will continue to subcontract on work with TRG clients as well, according to both firms. Dallas News, 22 Feb. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subcontract.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1660, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1842, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of subcontract was in 1660

Dictionary Entries Near subcontract

Cite this Entry

“Subcontract.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subcontract. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

subcontract

noun
sub·​con·​tract
ˈsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt,
-ˌkän-
: a contract between a party to an original contract and a third party who usually agrees to supply work or materials required in the original contract
subcontract
ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt
ˈsəb-;
ˌsəb-kən-ˈtrakt
verb
subcontractor
ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrak-tər
ˈsəb-;
ˌsəb-kən-ˈtrak-tər
noun

Legal Definition

subcontract

noun
sub·​con·​tract ˌsəb-ˈkän-ˌtrakt How to pronounce subcontract (audio)
: a contract between a party to an original contract and a third party that assigns part of the performance (as building a house) of the original contract to the third party

More from Merriam-Webster on subcontract

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!