Contract and Dilate

Contract

Contract verb - To reduce in size or volume by or as if by pressing parts or members together.
Usage example: contract the calf muscles in your legs

Dilate is an antonym for contract in topics: condense, come to terms, catch disease.

Dilate

Dilate verb - Add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing.

Contract is an antonym for dilate in topics: enlarge, stretch.

Common collocations

radius contract radius dilate radius

Both words in one sentence

Cite this Source
Dilate and Contract. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/contract/dilate
Contract & Dilate. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/contract/dilate>.
Dilate or Contract. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/contract/dilate.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "contract" and "dilate" have occurred on timeline