contract

/ˈkɒntɹækt/

//ˈkɒntɹækt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"contract" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“contract” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,216 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,216
frequency rank, English
8
letters
13
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often temporary or of fixed duration and usually governed by a written agreement.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

contract vs contrast
88% similar
contract vs contrary
75% similar
contract vs contracts
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for contract
PropertyValue
Headwordcontract
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɒntɹækt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#1,216
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “contract” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). contract lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for contract is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɒntɹækt/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,216 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for contract, with forms such as "ccontract", "cnotract", and "conntract". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 10 confusable-pair relationships, "contrast", "contrary", "contracts", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English, from Old French contract, from Latin contractus (noun), from contrahere (“to bring together, to bring about, to conclude a bargain”) [from con- (“with, together”) + trahere (“to draw, to pull”)] + -tus (suffix forming nouns from verbs). The correct English form is contract, spelled C-O-N-T-R-A-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often temporary or of fixed duration and usually governed by a written agreement.
  2. 2
    An agreement which the law will enforce in some way. A legally binding contract must contain at least one promise, i.e., a commitment or offer, by an offeror to and accepted by an offeree to do something in the future. A contract is thus executory rather than executed.
  3. 3
    The document containing such an agreement.
  4. 4
    A part of legal studies dealing with laws and jurisdiction related to contracts.
  5. 5
    An order, usually given to a hired assassin, to kill someone.
  6. 6
    The declarer's undertaking to win the number of tricks bid with a stated suit as trump.

Etymology

From Middle English, from Old French contract, from Latin contractus (noun), from contrahere (“to bring together, to bring about, to conclude a bargain”) [from con- (“with, together”) + trahere (“to draw, to pull”)] + -tus (suffix forming nouns from verbs).

Synonyms

contract law

This word in other languages

contrato(Español)contrat(Français)Vertrag(Deutsch)contrato(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccontract,cnotract,conntract,conrtact,contarct,contracct,contractt,contratc,contrcat,contrract,conttract,cotnract,ocntract

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of contract - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ccontract1cnotract2conntract1conrtact2contarct2contracct1contractt1contratc2
Edit distance from "contract"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "contract"?
"contract" is spelled C-O-N-T-R-A-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒntɹækt/.
What does "contract" mean?
As a noun, "contract" means: An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often temporary or of fixed duration and usually governed by a written agreement.
What words are commonly confused with "contract"?
"contract" is commonly confused with "contrast", "contrary", "contracts". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "contract"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "contract" is /ˈkɒntɹækt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "contract"?
From Middle English, from Old French contract, from Latin contractus (noun), from contrahere (“to bring together, to bring about, to conclude a bargain”) [from con- (“with, together”) + trahere (“to draw, to pull”)] + -tus (suffix forming nouns fr... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “contract”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-T-R-A-C-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɒntɹækt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “contrast” - see the side-by-side comparison. contract vs contrast
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list