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Glite Dictionary
to terminate the contract

to terminate the contract

1 4.6
End an agreement before it finishes
  • phrasal verb
  • Formal
translation icon : terminar el contrato
  • They've terminated the contract.
  • the right to terminate the contract

Examples

  • The company decided to terminate the contract after the client's failure to meet the payment deadlines.

  • I paid a lawyer five dollars to terminate the contract.

    Academic text (1992)

  • In this case, the ship owner (buyer) did not pay the advance payment, and accordingly, the shipyard terminated the contract.

    Academic text (2017)

  • We were terminating the contract with the voter registration vendor we hired at their request because there is no place for voter registration fraud in Florida.

    Blog text (1)

  • In regard to the $2,000 deposit, Infamous put the work in not only in material but also in labor hours, and if the client terminated the contract, well, that's on them. They should have exhausted all avenues with Infamous first, as in saying, "Hey, we are not happy," and see what they could come up with.

    Blog text (6)

  • In order to cut costs, they had no choice but to terminate the contract with the supplier early.

  • After reviewing the terms, she opted to terminate the contract before the renewal date.

Synonyms

to end
vsto terminate the contract
∞ 1.0

To stop something or make it finish

is a formal early legal ending, not merely a general final point
to close
vsto terminate the contract
∞ 1.0

To finish an event, meeting, or activity

is an official early ending applied to agreements before their planned end
to terminate
vsto terminate the contract
147 4.6

To make something stop or finish

is specifically a formal early ending for agreements rather than general stopping
to dissolve
vsto terminate the contract
  • Formal
60 4.1

To officially end an organization, agreement, or relationship

is a formal early ending of an agreement before its planned completion
to discontinue
vsto terminate the contract
58 4.2

To stop something that is happening or being given

is a formal premature ending of an agreement rather than stopping activity generally
to denounce
vsto terminate the contract
  • Formal
2 6.8

Formally end an agreement such as a treaty

is the actual formal early ending rather than only making an announcement

Antonyms

to continue
586 1.0

To stay in the same job or role

to renew
175 2.8

Make a card or agreement valid again after it ends

How Final

to terminate the contract
  • Formal
1 4.6
to suspend
141 3.9

Surface Forms

terminate the contract infinitive

Morphology

terminate + the + contract

The meaning 'to formally end an agreement' is directly compositional from 'terminate' (to cause something to stop) + 'contract' (a written agreement). This is a straightforward verb + object construction with clear cross-linguistic equivalents (e.g., Spanish 'terminar el contrato'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Terminate the contract comes from the verb terminate, which originally meant to mark the end of a line or boundary, like drawing a line where something stops. That's why to terminate the contract means to formally 'end' an agreement and stop the parties' duties.