What does "contact" mean?
The act of touching physically; being in close association.
Contact
/ˈkɑntækt/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of touching physically; being in close association.
- Grammar: contact is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: liaison, physical contact, touch, academic discipline approach.
- Useful contrasts: geographic isolation, noncontact force example, noncontact force explanation.
- Usage evidence: We are sorry, the person you are trying to contact is not available.
How to use "contact"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "contact" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "contact" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "contact" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "contact" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "contact" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "liaison" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "contact", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of touching physically; being in close association. countable, uncountable
"She mixed furniture with the same fatal profligacy as she mixed drinks, and this outrageous contact between things which were intended by Nature to be kept poles apart gave her an inexpressible thrill."
- 2 close interaction wordnet
- 3 The establishment of communication (with). countable, uncountable
"I haven't been in contact with her for years."
- 4 the act of touching physically wordnet
- 5 The situation of being within sight of something; visual contact. countable, uncountable
"If the pilot […] cannot establish visual contact with the ground, he must immediately execute a missed-approach procedure […]"
Show 14 more definitions
- 6 (electronics) a junction where things (as two electrical conductors) touch or are in physical contact wordnet
- 7 A nodule designed to connect a device with something else. countable, uncountable
"Touch the contact to ground and read the number again."
- 8 a thin curved glass or plastic lens designed to fit over the cornea in order to correct vision or to deliver medication wordnet
- 9 Someone who can be contacted, or with whom one is in communication. countable, uncountable
"Who is the company's contact for sales queries?"
- 10 a channel for communication between groups wordnet
- 11 Someone who can be contacted, or with whom one is in communication.; A means of communication with a person, especially in the form of a telephone number. broadly, countable, uncountable
- 12 a communicative interaction wordnet
- 13 A contact lens. countable, informal, uncountable
- 14 the physical coming together of two or more things wordnet
- 15 A device designed for repetitive connections. countable, uncountable
- 16 a person who is in a position to give you special assistance wordnet
- 17 Contact juggling. countable, informal, uncountable
"I bought myself a new contact ball last week"
- 18 the state or condition of touching or of being in immediate proximity wordnet
- 19 The plane between two adjacent bodies of dissimilar rock. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To touch; to come into physical contact with. transitive
"The side of the car contacted the pedestrian."
- 2 be in or establish communication with wordnet
- 3 To establish communication with (something or someone). transitive
"I am trying to contact my sister."
- 4 be in direct physical contact with; make contact wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
geographic isolationnoncontact force examplenoncontact force explanationphysical isolation
Example
"We are sorry, the person you are trying to contact is not available."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "contact"?
Common synonyms include: liaison, physical contact, touch, academic discipline approach, accord, acquaintance.
How do you use "contact" in a sentence?
We are sorry, the person you are trying to contact is not available.
How do you pronounce "contact"?
Pronounced /ˈkɑntækt/.
Etymology
From Latin contactus, from contingō (“I touch on all sides”), from tangō (“I touch”). Used in English since the 17th century.