What does contingency mean?
A contingency is a possible future event or circumstance whose occurrence is uncertain — something that may or may not happen, and which sensible people prepare for anyway. The word is most familiar from phrases such as 'contingency plan' and 'contingency fund,' where organizations or individuals set aside resources against risks they hope never materialize. Beyond this practical sense, contingency can also describe the abstract condition of depending on chance or on uncontrolled factors, as when an outcome is said to be 'subject to all contingencies.' Formal rather than casual in tone, the word thrives in business, military, legal, insurance, and statistical contexts — the 'contingency table' being a standard tool of statistics. Its connotations are prudent and realistic rather than pessimistic: acknowledging contingency means admitting the future cannot be fully controlled, and building flexibility into our plans accordingly. Few words so neatly capture the gap between what we intend and what actually occurs.
nounA possible future event or circumstance that may occur but cannot be predicted with certainty. It also refers to the condition of being dependent on chance or on uncertain factors.
- A possible future event or circumstance, especially one regarded when making plans or preparations.
- The state or quality of being dependent on chance, uncertain conditions, or unforeseen circumstances.
"The company set aside a contingency fund to cover unexpected repair costs."
"We drew up a detailed contingency plan in case the shipment arrived late."
"The success of the expedition was subject to numerous contingencies, not least the weather."
The plural is common in formal writing, especially in phrases like 'provide for all contingencies', where it suggests thorough preparation for every foreseeable risk.
"The treaty included provisions covering a range of possible contingencies."
Every 'contingency plan' you've ever made owes its name to a Latin verb about touching — contingere, 'to happen to' or 'to befall,' literally meant 'to touch upon.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of contingency
Contingency derives ultimately from the Latin verb contingere, formed from the prefix com- ('together, with') and tangere ('to touch'), literally meaning 'to touch upon' or 'to befall.' From this came the Latin participle contingens, 'happening, touching,' which passed into English as the adjective 'contingent' in the late medieval period, with the noun 'contingency' following in the early modern era. The same Latin root tangere gives English a wide family of related words, including 'contact,' 'tangent,' 'contiguous,' and 'tactile,' all built around the idea of touching or meeting.
Related word forms
How contingency is actually used
Formal to neutral in register, 'contingency' appears frequently in business, military, legal, and statistical contexts. In plural form it often carries a slightly old-fashioned or literary flavor ('subject to all contingencies'), while singular uses like 'contingency plan' and 'contingency fund' are thoroughly modern and everyday in professional settings. The statistical sense, as in 'contingency table,' is technical and largely confined to academic writing.
Easily confused with contingency
'Contingent' is the related adjective meaning dependent on conditions, or a noun meaning a representative group, while 'contingency' is the noun for a possible future event itself.
An 'eventuality' is simply something that might happen, whereas 'contingency' emphasizes that the outcome depends on uncertain circumstances and often implies planning for it.