The word contingent is used in many fields, from real estate to the military. This article will teach you everything about the word and how to use it.
-
Kevin
-
February 4, 2022
-
Common Questions
Your writing, at its best
Compose bold, clear, mistake-free, writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant
What Is the Definition of Contingent?
According to Collins English Dictionary, the word contingent is an adjective that means “dependent on something else.” This word is often used in reference to a sequence of events. A contingent is something that depends on another thing in order to happen or exist. The pronunciation of contingent is kənˈtɪndʒənt.
Use of the Word Contingent in Real Estate
Contingent is a word that is often used in real estate. If a buyer or seller is waiting on another home to sell before they can complete a purchase, this is called a contingent sale.
There are also other different types of contingency when it comes to real estate, such as an appraisal contingency. In the case of an appraisal contingency, a house has to appraise for what it is being bought for.
A home inspection contingency is another real estate term. It means the buyer can back out if there are issues found in an inspection or other forms of mortgage contingency created by a lender.
A real estate agent will know all of the different ways to combat contingency issues. If the current buyer’s offer or sale price is far off from the appraisal, then they can either move on to backup offers or try to make it work.
If an inspector finds something that needs repair, this issue can also be negotiated. A home sale contingency likely requires patience from all parties involved.
Use of the Word Contingent in the Military
This word can also be used as a noun in the military to refer to a group of soldiers that joins a larger force. This group of troops might be part of a military force that is pending confirmation of deployment
There is a chance that a contingent group of soldiers may need to be deployed depending on the status of a battle. This term can also be used in a more general sense to refer to a set of people who are part of a larger group.
Translations of the Word Contingent
If you are buying international property or communicating with an international individual who is in the military, it could be useful to know translations for the word contingent. You also may notice that a couple of the listed translations below look and sound similar to the English word. This is usually due to the fact that they have the same root.
Understanding where words come from can lead to a better understanding of their general meaning. Reference this list of translations from Word Sense when looking for a translation.
- French: Contingent, Éventuel, Hypothétique
- Swedish: Eventuell, Oviss, Möjlig
- Bulgarian: Случаен, Условен
- Japanese: 偶然
- Russian: Возмо́жный, Случа́йный
- Turkish: Muhtemel, Olası
- Dutch: Contingent
- Finnish: Mahdollinen
- German: Möglich
- Portuguese: Contingente
What Is the Origin of the Word Contingent?
Learning a word’s etymology can greatly assist in understanding its present-day meaning. It can even help you remember a word’s definition or spelling better!
According to Merriam-Webster, the word contingent has been used since the Middle Ages in English, and it comes from Middle French and Medieval Latin. In Latin, this comes from the present participle of contingere and the Latin contingent.
How Can the Word Contingent Be Used in a Sentence?
Using a word in a sentence is one of the easiest ways to remember its definition. While you can study definitions and parts of speech all day, it is most helpful to know how to use a word in practice. Take a look at the below example sentences and come up with your own!
- They were not able to make the contingent statuses work in the time frame for the real estate transaction with the first buyer and had to approach a new buyer for the sale of the home.
- The owner of the gun store had many arms sales contingent upon the approval of Congress. If there were status changes to the legality of the arms, or if the amount of time exceeded a month, he would have to give everyone their money back.
- Real estate contingencies made it difficult for the buyer to find a home in the hot real estate market.
What are Synonyms and Antonyms of the Word Contingent?
Since the word contingent is heavily associated with real estate and the military, it might be better to use a different but similar word in contexts outside of these two fields. To do this, you can take a look at this list of synonyms of contingent from Power Thesaurus.
Synonyms of Contingent
- Fortuitous
- Random
- Incidental
- Provisional
- Casual
- Delegation
- Detail
- Probable
- Dependent On
- Unforeseen
- Likely
- Unit
- Possible
- Corps
- Team
- Depending On
- Parade
- Assemblage
- Detachment
- Brigade
- Unpredictable
- Conditional
- Company
- Dependent
- Party
- Chance
Antonyms of Contingent
Power Thesaurus also supplies us with words that mean the opposite of contingent. Learning antonyms can be an excellent way to expand and grow your current vocabulary very quickly. Try studying this list to learn some new words.
- Authoritative
- Truthful
- Positive
- Different
- Handpicked
- Concrete
- Unquestionable
- All-Out
- Categorical
- Factual
- Timeproof
- Arbitrary
- Necessary
- Self-Reliant
- Disproportional
- Arrant
- True
- Assured
- Definite
- Industry-Leading
- Impossible
- Free-Standing
- Independent
- Certain
- Unconditional
- Strong
- Self-Reliant
- Unequivocal
- Longstanding
- Simple
- Sure
- Sustained
- Unadulterated
- Peremptory
- Carefully Selected
- Real
- Authentic
Conclusion
The word contingent has two different meanings. First, the word contingent can be used as a noun to refer to a group of people that are part of a larger whole. This meaning is often used in a military context. The word contingent can also be used as an adjective to refer to an event that is dependent on another event happening. This meaning is often used in real estate.
Sources:
