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
Etymology
Origin of contentious
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English contenciose, from Latin contentiōsus, from contenti(ō) contention + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
A contentious issue is one that people are likely to argue about, and a contentious person is someone who likes to argue or fight. Some issues are very controversial. They're also contentious, because people tend to argue about them, and the arguments will probably go on forever. Contentious issues get people angry and in a fighting mood. On the other hand, some people always seem to be in a fighting mood, no matter what the issue is. People like that are contentious too.
Vocabulary lists containing contentious
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 4
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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.
But the complex job goes beyond the briefing room podium to include managing contentious relationships with the press, coordinating with other parts of the White House, and providing media advice to the president.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
What that development has done for the city as a whole is a contentious question in vast Detroit, with its 139 square miles and more than 200 neighborhoods.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
An English court on Friday threw out a challenge against planning permission for a Chinese "mega" embassy in central London, but residents seeking to block the contentious project vowed to fight on.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
The standards of refereeing will be under the microscope like never before after the contentious and title-defining calls came in a mad flurry at the end of last season.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
“We found to our surprise that our preschool audience didn’t like it when the adult cast got into a contentious discussion,” he remembers.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
