What does contacting mean?
'Contacting' is the present participle and gerund of the verb 'to contact', meaning to communicate with a person or organization by telephone, email, letter, or another channel. It is one of the most routine words of modern life, appearing constantly in professional settings — 'we are contacting you regarding your account' — and in personal ones, from chasing up a friend to reaching a customer-service department. The verb itself is relatively young in everyday use: 'contact' entered English in the seventeenth century largely as a technical term for physical touching, and only became the standard way to describe getting in touch during the twentieth century, when telephones made instant communication ordinary. Today, contacting carries a neutral, practical tone; it can sound businesslike or even slightly impersonal, which is why friendlier alternatives like 'reaching out' are sometimes preferred. Its ubiquity makes it essential vocabulary for anyone navigating modern communication.
verb (present participle/gerund of contact)The act of communicating with someone, typically by phone, email, or letter; also the present participle and gerund form of the verb 'contact'.
- Communicating with someone by message, call, or letter.
- (Gerund) The ongoing action or practice of reaching someone, as in 'contacting takes patience'.
"She has been contacting former clients to let them know about the company's new services."
"I'll be contacting the airline tomorrow to change my booking."
"The journalist spent weeks contacting sources before publishing the story."
Before the 20th century, 'contact' was mostly a physics term — the word we now use for texting friends once described two objects merely touching.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of contacting
'Contacting' derives from the Latin verb 'contingere' ('to touch upon, come into contact with'), via the noun 'contactus' meaning 'a touching'. English borrowed 'contact' in the early seventeenth century, initially in scientific and philosophical writing about bodies physically touching. The verb sense — communicating with someone — developed in the nineteenth century among speakers of American English and spread widely in the twentieth century alongside telephony. Related words sharing the same root include 'contingent', 'contiguous', and 'tactile' (from the related Latin 'tangere').
Related word forms
How contacting is actually used
Neutral register, common in both everyday and professional contexts. In American English, contacting someone usually implies direct communication; in British English, 'get in touch' is an equally common alternative. Some style guides prefer phrasal verbs like 'reach out' for warmth.
Easily confused with contacting
'Contracting' means becoming smaller or entering into a formal agreement (or hiring work), while 'contacting' simply means communicating with someone.