contingency

/kənˈtɪndʒənsi/
noun
  1. A possible future event or situation that must be prepared for, especially an emergency or unexpected problem.
    • We set aside extra money as a contingency for unexpected repairs.
    • The rescue team trained for every contingency, from floods to earthquakes.
    • The company has a contingency plan in case of a data breach.
  2. The condition of being dependent on chance or uncertain events.
    • History is full of contingency—small events can change the course of nations.
    • The contingency of the outcome made everyone nervous.
    • They accepted the contingency of their travel plans due to the storm.
Antonyms
What does "contingency" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean