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to make contact

to make contact

113 2.8
To get in touch with someone after a time without talking
  • phrasal verb
  • /meɪk ˈkɒntækt/
translation icon : ponerse en contacto
  • In addition, they provided additional opportunities for staff to make contact with families between clinic visits.
  • make contact with others
  • make contact with families
  • make contact with staff

So read, read the masters, make contact with great minds.

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Examples

  • How do you make contact?

  • Another good way to make contact with agents is through a literary conference.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Even for me, it's very difficult to make contact with a lot of people.

  • So we make contact with people inside the airport.

  • You may want to make contact with her.

  • Our whole system's designed to prevent them from making contact.

  • Or let them make contact with me.

  • A few parents were able to make contact with other multiple-birth parents during the pregnancy.

    Academic text (2010)
  • The Internet has made it easy to make contact with composers and new-music centers worldwide.

    Academic text (2005)
  • The Internet has made it easy to make contact with composers and new-music centers worldwide.

Synonyms

to contact
vsto make contact
2.5

To communicate with someone by phone or writing

is the specific act of establishing communication, often for the first time
to reach
vsto make contact
1.3

Make contact with someone by phone or email

focuses on the same act, often for first or renewed contact
to write
vsto make contact
926 1.0

Send a letter or message to someone

is broader, including both written and spoken ways to establish communication
to connect
vsto make contact
572 1.8

Build a friendly relationship with someone by talking or listening

is limited to starting communication rather than building a relationship
to reach out
vsto make contact
338 2.7

To contact someone to offer help or support

is neutral about motive, focusing on starting communication itself
to approach
vsto make contact
316 3.0

To speak to someone to ask for something or make an offer

is neutral about purpose, focusing only on establishing communication
to phone
vsto make contact
204 1.0

To call someone by telephone

is not tied to a single method and covers all communication ways
to catch up
vsto make contact
  • Informal
166 2.3

To talk with someone to share news after not seeing them for a while

is about making initial or renewed communication, not only sharing news
to get in touch
vsto make contact
155 2.3

Contact someone after not talking for a while

is the general act of establishing communication in such situations
to get through
vsto make contact
155 2.6

To reach someone by phone or message

is broader, covering establishing communication not just successful calls
to make a call
vsto make contact
93 1.0

To phone someone

is broader, covering any way of establishing communication beyond calls
to correspond
vsto make contact
18 3.7

Write letters or messages to someone regularly over time

is about starting communication, not ongoing exchange over time
to raise
vsto make contact
  • Specialized
15 7.5

To make radio contact with someone

is the general act of communication, not limited to radio transmissions
to touch base
vsto make contact
14 3.5

To make brief contact to give or get an update

is wider, covering any establishing of communication, not only brief updates
to strike up a conversation
vsto make contact
12 3.0

Start talking to someone you do not know well

is about initiating communication in many forms, not only starting talk
to recontact
vsto make contact
1 4.4

To get in touch with someone again after speaking to them before

is about establishing communication whether for first time or again
to give a shout
vsto make contact
  • Informal
1 5.1

Call or message someone to let them know something

is the neutral act of establishing communication without informal tone

Antonyms

1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

How Direct

to speak to
1.7
to make contact
113 2.8
to reach out
338 2.7
to send a message
  • Informal
81 3.4

Surface Forms

make contact infinitive
made contact past participle
making contact present participle
makes contact third person singular

Morphology

make + contact

The phrase is compositionally built: 'make' (create/bring about) combined with 'contact' (communication or being in touch) yields the meaning 'establish communication', which a B1 learner who knows both words can infer. The verb+noun pattern meaning 'create/establish X' is a common, predictable construction in English and has clear parallels in many other languages, so the expression is transparent.

Etymology

The phrasal verb make contact comes from the simple image of touching someone to get their attention, because make means to create and contact means a touch. So the phrase now means 'to establish communication' with someone, often for the first time.