WordGarden.iosubcontract
B2Pronunciation
UK
US
- /səbˈkɑnˌtrækt/
Meanings
Verb
to hire another person or company to do part of contracted work
Noun
a contract to do part of the work covered by a larger contract
Beyond the definition
Imagine you're building a house. You're the main contractor, but you do not lay every brick or install every wire yourself. That is where subcontracting comes in. To subcontract means to hire another person or company to do part of a larger project that you are responsible for. You still manage the whole job, but specialists take care of certain parts.
Think of it this way: a general contractor might subcontract the plumbing work to a licensed plumber or the electrical work to an electrician. The contractor is still responsible for the whole house, but relies on experts for each part. In the same way, a marketing agency might subcontract the graphic design for a client's campaign to a freelance designer.
To subcontract means to give part of the work in your own contract to another person or company, called a subcontractor. This is common in many industries, including construction, manufacturing, IT, and professional services. In simple terms, it means bringing in another party to handle a specific part of a larger job that you have already agreed to complete.
The original contractor, often called the prime contractor, usually remains responsible to the end client for the final result, even though part of the work is done by others. The prime contractor manages the process, checks the quality of the work, and coordinates with the subcontractors.
Subcontracting is often used when a company does not have enough staff, equipment, or special skills for a particular task. For example, a software development firm might subcontract the user interface design to a specialist agency. A construction company might subcontract the roofing work to a crew that focuses only on roofs.
The word is mainly used as a verb, but related nouns such as subcontractor and subcontracting are also common. Subcontracting can save time and give a project access to skilled experts, but it also requires clear agreements and careful management. If it is handled badly, it can cause delays, confusion, or legal problems.
Examples
- 1
Construction
The builder subcontracted the plumbing work to a local company.
- 2
Factory orders
During busy months, the factory subcontracts some orders to a partner overseas.
- 3
In-house work
We kept the design work in-house and subcontracted the printing out.
- 4
Schedule delays
The job was subcontracted to a smaller firm after the original team fell behind schedule.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Supply contract
Her company won a subcontract to supply doors for the new hospital.
See also
Similar
- contract out
- outsource
- farm out
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- do in-house
- self-perform
Used with (collocations)
- subcontract work
- subcontract to a specialist
- subcontract part of the job
Word family
Explore
- procurement
- supply chain
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- subcontractnounverb
Forms
- subcontractedpast tenseverbnoun
- subcontracting-ing formverbnoun
- subcontractspluralnounverb