Contingent meaning: Contingent (plural contingents) An event

contingent (plural contingents) An event which may or may not happen; that which is unforeseen, undetermined, or dependent on something in the future. synonyms When an event or situation is contingent, it means that it depends on some other event or fact. For example, sometimes buying a new house has to be contingent upon someone else buying your old house first. That way you don't end up owning two houses! From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English con ‧ tin ‧ gent1 /kənˈtɪndʒənt/ adjective formal depending on something that may happen in the future SYN dependent contingent on/upon Further investment is contingent upon the company’s profit performance. a group of soldiers, ships, etc., assembled to help a larger force: His contingent was sent to Saudi Arabia. any one of the groups that make up a larger group: The gay and lesbian contingent of the parade was finally allowed to march.