1. dependent on something not yet certain; conditional: plans contingent on the weather. 2. liable to happen or not; uncertain; possible: contingent expenses. 3. happening by chance or without known cause; fortuitous; accidental. The meaning of CONTINGENT is dependent on or conditioned by something else. How to use contingent in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Contingent . As an adjective, "contingent" refers to something that is dependent on certain conditions or circumstances . For example, a contingent event is one that may or may not happen, depending on other factors. Definition of contingent noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. a group of people at a meeting or an event who have something in common, especially the place they come from, that is not shared by other people at the event. The largest contingent was from the United States.
