contingent

Language: en

🇺🇸 /kəˈntɪndʒənt/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Dependent on or conditioned by something else; subject to chance or uncertainty.; Possible but not certain to occur; accidental.; In logic and philosophy, not logically necessary; true in some possible worlds but not all.
  2. noun
    A group of people forming part of a larger group, especially a delegation or military detachment.; A share or portion allotted to a person or group.; Something that may or may not happen; an eventuality.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable Plural: contingents Comparative: more contingent Superlative: most contingent

Collocations

contingent oncontingent upona contingent ofcontingent feecontingent workercontingent liability

Derivatives

contingencycontingentlycontingence

Synonyms

conditionaldependentdelegationdetachmentsquad

Antonyms

unconditionalcertaininevitable

Commonly confused

contingency
EN: 'Contingency' is a noun meaning a possible future event or circumstance; 'contingent' as a noun means a group of people, and as an adjective means dependent on conditions.
contingent
EN: As an adjective it means 'conditional/dependent'; as a noun it means 'a group or delegation' — these are distinct senses sharing the same form.

Spelling tips

EN: Do not spell it 'contingant' by false analogy with words like 'elephant' or 'servant'; the ending is '-ent'.

💬 Examples

  1. The deal is contingent upon approval from the board of directors.

  2. The outcome is contingent on factors beyond our control.

  3. The existence of the universe is considered a contingent fact by many philosophers.

  4. A large contingent of athletes arrived from Japan for the Olympics.

  5. Each country contributed its contingent to the peacekeeping force.

  6. We must prepare for every contingent that might arise.