1. of, relating to, or involving contraction or the process of becoming smaller or shorter
Usage: technical; formal
2. of or relating to the contraction of muscles or muscle fibers
Usage: medical; anatomical

Examples

• The contractional forces in the material caused it to shrink as it cooled.
• Muscle contractional activity increases during exercise.
• The contractional phase of the heartbeat pumps blood throughout the body.
• Engineers studied the contractional properties of the metal alloy.
• Contractional stress in the Earth's crust can lead to mountain formation.