contingent
Delegation with conditions
Contingent means dependent on something uncertain or conditional: Our plans are contingent on the weather.
A contingent is also a group representing a larger body: the California contingent at the convention, a military contingent.
The adjective sense emphasizes that outcomes hinge on factors not yet determined; the noun sense emphasizes a subset drawn from a whole.
Dependent on prerequisites
- circumstantialBased on inference, not proof
- prerequisiteRequired prior condition
- requirementMandatory condition to fulfill
- stipulationCondition in an agreement
qualification · criterion · precondition · dependent · subject to · predicated · reliant · based on
Cannot be anticipated
- indefiniteNot precisely determined
- tentativeUncertain and provisional
- unclearNot easily understood
- ambiguousHaving multiple interpretations
unsettled · unconfirmed · undecided · unresolved · indeterminate · questionable · variable · chance
Separation or emotional uninvolvement
- delegationTransferring responsibility downward
- deputationRepresentatives sent formally
- partyGathering for celebration
- squadSmall working group
team · unit · corps · body · force · battalion · cadre · cohort
Limited in duration
- interimProvisional in-between phase
- stopgapTemporary substitute measure
- makeshiftTemporary, improvised substitute
- tentativeUncertain and provisional
transitional · short-term · ad-hoc · backup · reserve · stand-in · acting · substitute
conditional
Dependent on prerequisites
- circumstantialBased on inference, not proof
- prerequisiteRequired prior condition
- requirementMandatory condition to fulfill
stipulation · qualification · criterion · precondition · dependent · subject to · predicated · reliant · based on · hinging
unpredictable
Cannot be anticipated
- indefiniteNot precisely determined
- tentativeUncertain and provisional
- unclearNot easily understood
ambiguous · unsettled · unconfirmed · undecided · unresolved · indeterminate · questionable · variable · chance · random
detachment
Separation or emotional uninvolvement
- delegationTransferring responsibility downward
- deputationRepresentatives sent formally
- partyGathering for celebration
squad · team · unit · corps · body · force · battalion · cadre · cohort · company
temporary
Limited in duration
- interimProvisional in-between phase
- stopgapTemporary substitute measure
- makeshiftTemporary, improvised substitute
tentative · transitional · short-term · ad-hoc · backup · reserve · stand-in · acting · substitute · emergency
- groupsteam, teams, group, club, clubs
- OlympicsOlympics, Olympic Games, Summer Olympics, Winter Olympics, Olympic medal
- statusespending, active, approved, inactive, completed
- temporarytemporary, temp job, interim, temp worker, provisional
- uncertaintyuncertainty, uncertain, unknown, unsure, unclear
- metaphysicsessence, being, reality, existence, substance theory
contingentnecessary
Indispensable, cannot omit
inevitable · analytic · noncontingent · certain · inescapable
contingentunconditional
Without limits or qualifications
absolute · unconditioned · independent · guaranteed · unqualified
- contingency plansPrepared responses to problems
- contingency fundsReserved money for emergencies
- contingency planningPreparing for possible problems
- contingency feePayment from case winnings
- contingent uponRequiring something else first
- contingency clauseContract term allowing withdrawal