Meaning & use
Contractions
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Shortened forms of words or phrases created by combining them and omitting certain letters, marked with an apostrophe.
See it in a sentence
In casual writing, contractions like 'don't' and 'it's' are common, but formal essays often avoid them.
By the time her contractions were five minutes apart, she knew it was time to go to the hospital.
A note on using this word
The word also has an unrelated but equally common meaning in childbirth, where uterine contractions are the rhythmic tightening of muscles that signal labor.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. noun
Rhythmic tightening and relaxing of the uterine muscles during childbirth.
Her contractions grew stronger and closer together as labor progressed.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Contractions”, then compare your use with the examples above.