contentious
Americanadjective
-
tending to argument or strife; quarrelsome.
a contentious crew.
- Synonyms:
- argumentative, disputatious
-
causing, involving, or characterized by argument or controversy.
contentious issues.
-
Law. pertaining to causes between contending or opposing parties.
adjective
-
tending to argue or quarrel
-
causing or characterized by dispute; controversial
-
law relating to a cause or legal business that is contested, esp a probate matter
Other Word Forms
- contentiously adverb
- contentiousness noun
- noncontentious adjective
- noncontentiously adverb
- overcontentious adjective
- overcontentiously adverb
- overcontentiousness noun
- uncontentious adjective
- uncontentiously adverb
- uncontentiousness noun
Etymology
Origin of contentious
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English contenciose, from Latin contentiōsus, from contenti(ō) contention + -ōsus -ous
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One area of healthcare that is frequently contentious and can largely be compared across the UK is A&E waiting times.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
Even issues that would go on to be more contentious within feminism and outside it—body positivity, trans rights—did crucial work.
From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026
Red card confusion & contentious calls - VAR's 'bad day at office'
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
The amount of time films are available exclusively in theaters — known as “windowing” in industry jargon — has become a contentious topic of conversation in Hollywood.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026
Groves joked later that when this complex and contentious job was done, “I was hoping to get to a war theater so I could find a little peace.”
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
