Meaning & use
contractual
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivebefore a noun
Relating to or stated in a formal legal agreement between parties.
Grammar: Used before a noun: contractual terms, contractual rights. No comparative or superlative.
Patterns
- contractual obligation
- contractual agreement
- contractual terms
- contractual relationship
The company failed to meet its contractual obligations and was sued.
Before signing, read the contractual terms carefully.
They have a contractual agreement to supply parts for five years.
Common combinations
- contractual obligation
- Paying the rent on time is a contractual obligation.
- contractual agreement
- The two firms signed a contractual agreement last week.
- contractual terms
- The contractual terms were explained by the lawyer.
- contractual relationship
- Their contractual relationship ended when the project finished.
- breach of contract
- Missing the deadline was a breach of contract.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- contract noun
- A formal written or spoken agreement.
- contractually adverb
- In a way that relates to a contract.
- contractor noun
- A person or company that does work under a contract.
Commonly confused: contractual or contracted?
contractual vs contracted
Past tense of 'contract' (to make an agreement or to become smaller). 'Contractual' describes what is in a contract.
Practice
The employee's ________ duties include keeping client information confidential.
Choose one answer.
'Contractual' is the adjective needed before the noun 'duties'. 'Contract' is a noun or verb, 'contracting' is a participle, and 'contractually' is an adverb, which cannot modify 'duties'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “contractual”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.