contested
Americanadjective
-
battled; fought.
Bates pulled off the win, 82–79, in a tightly contested matchup.
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involving a disagreement or dispute.
The waiting period for a contested divorce has been reduced to 12 months.
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being fought over; in dispute.
The contested land is located 30 kilometers south of the city.
At times, the parties may not come to an agreement, or they may only agree on some of the contested issues.
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involving more than one candidate.
Congressional redistricting and a contested Senate seat led to a series of competitive Michigan primaries on Tuesday.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of contested
Explanation
Something that's contested is argued over or questioned. Contested election results may need to be re-counted, since the two sides can't agree on their validity. Controversial and contentious issues — like debated topics or lawsuits — are often described as "hotly contested," or energetically argued over. Elections, community issues, sporting matches, and scientific ideas are all frequently contested. The word has been used since the 1770s to describe political elections in the US, and it comes from the Latin word contestari, "to call to witness or bring action."
Vocabulary lists containing contested
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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.
Contested primaries will also be held in the 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts, as well as for several seats in the state’s non-partisan, single-chamber legislature.
From Seattle Times • May 10, 2024
Contested paintings are now displayed with labels explaining that they were taken from Jewish owners by the Nazis.
From New York Times • Feb. 14, 2023
Contested in 28C heat, the race was moved from 07:00 to 06:00 local time due to the forecast temperatures.
From BBC • Aug. 6, 2021
“It takes a long time to memorialize anyone Black,” said Stevenson, author of “The Contested Murder of Latasha Harlins: Justice, Gender, and the Origins of the LA Riots.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2021
Contested points in Scottish Archæology and history have been occasionally settled by manuscript discoveries that were perfectly accidental.
From Archaeological Essays, Vol. 1 by Stuart, John
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.
