contractual

adjective

con·​trac·​tu·​al kən-ˈtrak-chə-wəl How to pronounce contractual (audio)
-chəl, 
-shwəl, 
-chü-əl
: of, relating to, or constituting a contract
contractually adverb

Examples of contractual in a Sentence

They had to fulfill their contractual obligations before they could get paid.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The government said the designation stemmed from Anthropic’s refusal to accept contractual terms, not its views on AI safety. — Reuters, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026 If Bally’s cannot deliver on its contractual commitment, the City Council needs to immediately begin contingency planning. — Joe Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 Rolapp said Tuesday that players must first be completely relieved of contractual obligations to LIV before conversations with the PGA Tour can begin. — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 The More The Better was pushed out to earn his release from his contractual obligations to SoundCloud. — Ngozi Nwanji, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contractual

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin contractuālis, from Latin contractu-, stem of contractus contract entry 1 + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of contractual was in 1827

Rhymes for contractual

See All Rhymes for contractual

Browse Nearby Words

contract theory
contractual
contractual liability insurance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contractual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contractual. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

contractual

adjective
con·​trac·​tu·​al kən-ˈtrak-chə(-wə)l How to pronounce contractual (audio)
kän-, 
-ˈtraksh-wəl
: of, relating to, or being a contract
contractual agreements
contractually
-ē
adverb

Legal Definition

contractual

adjective
con·​trac·​tu·​al kən-ˈtrak-chə-wəl How to pronounce contractual (audio)
: of, relating to, or constituting a contract
a contractual agreement
contractually adverb
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