SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
contingency
noun
An event or condition that might occur and may require a response.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Possible future occurrence
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topAn emergency is only one type of contingency; not every contingency is unexpected or harmful.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See contingency in use
The outdoor event needed a plan for the contingency of heavy rain.
A theater group planned a weekend performance in a borrowed courtyard. Its position was precarious because permission depended on a renovation finishing in time. The group's connection with the owner was tenuous: only one former member had ever spoken with her. As a contingency plan, the director reserved a small indoor room that could accommodate a simplified version of the performance.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license