The meaning of CONTRACTION is the action or process of contracting : the state of being contracted. How to use contraction in a sentence.

Sep 9, 2023 · Contractions are words or phrases that have been shortened by omitting one or more letters. Typically, you can identify a contraction by the apostrophe that is used to indicate …

Contractions such as isn't, couldn't, can't, weren't, he'll, they're occur chiefly, although not exclusively, in informal speech and writing. They are common in personal letters, business …

We use contractions (I’m, we’re) in everyday speech and informal writing. Contractions, which are sometimes called ‘short forms’, commonly combine a pronoun or noun and a verb, or a verb …

When a woman who is about to give birth has contractions, she experiences a very strong, painful tightening of the muscles of her womb.

There are 18 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun contraction, six of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

A contraction is a process of becoming smaller or compressed. It can also refer to a shortened form of a word or group of words, where a letter or letters have been left out and replaced by …

Definition of contraction noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. [uncountable] the process of becoming smaller. The design needs to allow for the expansion and contraction of …

Apr 29, 2025 · Contractions are words where letters are dropped, and an apostrophe shows the missing letters. People use contractions in speech to save time and in writing for a casual …

May 31, 2023 · Contractions are shortened forms of words. A contraction is made up of two words joined together by an apostrophe. You also leave out a few letters when you make a …