contract out: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal/Business/Administrative
Quick answer
What does “contract out” mean?
To arrange for work or services to be done by an external party instead of handling them internally.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To arrange for work or services to be done by an external party instead of handling them internally.
To formally exit or withdraw from an agreement, scheme, or responsibility (as in a pension scheme).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'contract out' is strongly associated with the 'withdrawal from a state pension scheme'. In the US, it is more uniformly associated with outsourcing services. The past participle 'contracted-out' is common as an adjective in UK officialese.
Connotations
UK: Often bureaucratic, relating to pensions and public services. US: Primarily business efficiency or cost-cutting.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK official/administrative contexts. More general business use in US.
Grammar
How to Use “contract out” in a Sentence
[ORG] contracts out [SERVICE] to [EXTERNAL PROVIDER][ORG] contracts [SERVICE] out[PERSON] is contracted out (of [SCHEME])Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “contract out” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The council will contract out the refuse collection.
- He chose to contract out of the occupational pension scheme.
American English
- The firm contracted out its payroll processing.
- They are considering contracting out the manufacturing.
adjective
British English
- She has a contracted-out pension plan.
- The contracted-out services were listed in the report.
American English
- The contracted-out work led to some quality issues.
- They reviewed all contracted-out functions.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The company decided to contract out its IT support to reduce costs.
Academic
The study examined the effects of contracting out municipal waste collection.
Everyday
We're contracting out the garden landscaping this year.
Technical
The local authority issued a tender to contract out the management of its leisure facilities.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “contract out”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “contract out”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “contract out”
- Using 'contract out' for simply 'making a contract' (incorrect). Confusing 'contract out' (phrasal verb) with 'contract' (noun).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in its primary business meaning, they are synonyms. 'Contract out' is often more formal.
Not typically for hiring individuals directly. It's used for services or functions (e.g., 'contract out the catering', not 'contract out a chef').
It's a workplace pension scheme that has been formally approved as a replacement for part of the state pension, meaning both employer and employee pay lower National Insurance contributions.
The main opposite is 'bring in-house' or 'insource', meaning to stop using an external provider and perform the work internally.
To arrange for work or services to be done by an external party instead of handling them internally.
Contract out is usually formal/business/administrative in register.
Contract out: in British English it is pronounced /kənˈtrækt aʊt/, and in American English it is pronounced /kənˈtrækt aʊt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To contract out of the state second pension (UK specific)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a business CONTRACTing with an OUTside company to get work done.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORGANIZATION IS A BODY (we 'farm out' tasks like we might hire someone to do our exercise).
Practice
Quiz
In a UK context, 'to be contracted out' most specifically relates to: