contend

American  

[kuhn-tend] / kənˈtɛnd /

verb (used without object)

contends, present (3rd person singular) contended, past participle, past contending present participle

1. to struggle in opposition.

   to contend with the enemy for control of the port.

   Synonyms:

   fight, battle, grapple, wrestle

2. to strive in rivalry; compete; vie.

   to contend for first prize.

3. to strive in debate; dispute earnestly.

   to contend against falsehood.

   Synonyms:

   wrangle, argue

   Antonyms:

   agree

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verb (used with object)

contends, present (3rd person singular) contended, past participle, past contending present participle

1. to assert or maintain earnestly.

   He contended that taxes were too high.

   Synonyms:

   claim, hold

contend British  

/ kənˈtɛnd /

verb

1. to struggle in rivalry, battle, etc; vie

2. to argue earnestly; debate

3. (tr; may take a clause as object) to assert or maintain

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Synonym Usage

See compete.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• contender
  noun
• precontend
  verb (used without object)
• recontend
  verb (used without object)
• noncontending
  adjective
• uncontended
  adjective
• uncontending
  adjective
• contendingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• contending
  present
• contended
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• contend
  simple
• contends
  simple
• have contended
  perfect
• has contended
  perfect
• am contending
  progressive
• are contending
  progressive
• is contending
  progressive
• have been contending
  perfect progressive
• has been contending
  perfect progressive

Past

• contended
  simple
• had contended
  perfect
• was contending
  progressive
• were contending
  progressive
• had been contending
  perfect progressive

Future

• will contend
  simple
• will have contended
  perfect
• will be contending
  progressive
• will have been contending
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of contend

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English contenden, from Anglo-French contendre, from Latin contendere “to compete, strive, draw tight,” equivalent to con- prefix meaning “with, together” + tendere “to stretch”; see con-, tend ¹

Explanation

To defend a belief or keep affirming that it's true is to contend. People used to contend that the earth was flat, but eventually, when no one dropped off the edge no matter how far they traveled, the "round" theory won. One of the meanings of contend is from the French "to strive with," and it is a literal fighting, as in "to contend with fists." Most contemporary uses of the verb contend illustrate competitions of proof or defense, where a person will contend that something is true, or better, or wrong. It is still a striving but more of a verbal kind, where what you contend is what you hope to convince others is correct.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contend contends contended contending

There was a sense beforehand that Ward could contend here.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

A moth circling a porch light evolved to navigate by the moon; the bulb is an “evolutionary novelty” with which its ancestors never had to contend.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

The year-on-year comparison was weighed down by the lack of a major release in the quarter to contend with last year's blockbuster "Assassin's Creed Shadows", released in March, Ubisoft said in a statement.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

However, some experts contend that area thunderstorms on Saturday might help alleviate and disperse the worst of the concerns.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

But there were some realities to contend with.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Elliott contends that right now, stocks are incredibly expensive by almost any measure, and stock prices are based on very high growth expectations.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026

But in Canada, Cardwell contends that supply management is likely "not going anywhere".

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

The dust-up over data comes as the cattle industry contends with a growing list of challenges, including from the U.S.-Iran war, which has increased costs for farming staples like fuel and fertilizer.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026

Ryan Cummings, a former Biden White House economist, still contends that the sentiment index needs a methodological fix to adjust for the shift online, which he thinks would push the index higher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

But even if, as Cannadine contends, “Speech was the very fibre of his being,” that’s not to say that it proceeded in any natural way from that being.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

However, she contended that the central bank need not now “act with the same force” after the dramatic increases in energy prices in 2022-23 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

“Bessent and Warsh are working as a team,” Yardeni contended in a new research note posted to his site, Yardeni Quick Takes.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

Warsh contended that will help both markets and Fed officials make more informed decisions.

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

The chain’s struggles around its brand and menu have added to broader challenges facing the casual-dining industry, which has contended with low- and middle-income consumers watching their wallets and seeking maximum value for their dollars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

“It is not a penal statute. It cannot be said, as contended, that the act divides a natural class of persons into two.”

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

The industry that makes those chips, meanwhile, which includes South Korea’s SK Hynix, Micron and Samsung Electronics, is contending with a memory crunch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

After the eight-day-long fire in a 500,000-square-foot Boyle Heights warehouse, eastern Los Angeles residents are contending with putrid smells, soot and potentially hazardous airborne chemicals after heavy plumes of smoke spread throughout the city.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

What to watch out for: While Morocco's run to the last four in Qatar was a surprise, this side contending in the United States are much more than plucky underdogs.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

In addition to the higher prices for poultry litter, Arrington is contending with price hikes for synthetic fertilizer.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026

My courage failed me at the sight of a countinghouse or shop crowded with men, bartering and contending loudly with one another.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Related Words

• argue
• confront
• cope
• dispute
• go after
• grapple
• meet
• oppose
• push for
• resist
• vie