contention

American  

[kuhn-ten-shuhn] / kənˈtɛn ʃən /

noun

• contentions
  plural

1. a struggling together in opposition; strife.

   Synonyms:

   combat, conflict

2. a striving in rivalry; competition; contest.

3. strife in debate; dispute; controversy.

   Synonyms:

   altercation, debate, dissension, disagreement

   Antonyms:

   agreement

4. a point contended for or affirmed in controversy.

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contention British  

/ kənˈtɛnʃən /

noun

1. a struggling between opponents; competition

2. dispute in an argument (esp in the phrase bone of contention )

3. a point asserted in argument

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contention Idioms  

1. see bone of contention.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noncontention
  noun
• precontention
  noun
• contentional
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• contentions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of contention

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin contentiōn-, stem of contentiō; from content(us) “competed, striven” (past participle of contendere “to compete, strive, draw tight”; see contend) + -iō -ion

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Explanation

There is nothing "content," or satisfying, about being in contention, and that's probably because the word contention means being in a competition that only one side can win. "And in this corner, the contender" is heard at most boxing matches to describe each of the fighters about to go into contention in the ring. Sometimes, though, a contention can be a battle of words or a struggle between two parties over a single point. The expression "bone of contention" describes a narrow object of disagreement that reaches the level of strife, or contention. For two hungry dogs, though, the bone of contention might be a serious matter.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contention contentions

Incendiary posts on social media from Collins' son-in-law, David Alan Scheer II, have become a point of contention in the race.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

He dropped out of contention after finding he couldn’t compete with Shirley Temple Black and Pete McCloskey, the eventual winner.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

He also won the Ballon d'Or in 2024 and is in contention to win it for a second time in October, a rare achievement for a holding midfielder.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

His legacy has become a bone of contention between the two neighbours, with Macedonians claiming him as "their" ruler.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

Something in him shrank from violence, from contention, from the silent shrieking tensions that can rip at a house.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Fiedler’s new preface proudly noted that the original’s once outrageous contentions were now widely accepted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Indyke's lawyer, Daniel Weiner, said: "Mr Indyke and Mr Kahn deny all those contentions, including any allegations of fault, liability, wrongdoing or damages of any kind."

From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026

American did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the union’s contentions.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 28, 2026

The Ohio Supreme Court disagreed with both contentions.

From Slate ● Sep. 10, 2024

America, it appeared, had once been the home of a truly substantial creature–one that would surely disprove Buffon’s foolish Gallic contentions.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

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Related Words

• allegation
• assertion
• belief
• claim
• discussion
• explanation
• hypothesis
• idea
• opinion
• plea
• position
• thesis

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