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

The 27,000 residents that remain in Mene Grande contend with chronic blackouts and crumbling infrastructure, with some of the wells better fit for a museum than a working oil field.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

The fire’s aftermath was just as bad, with cleanup crews having to contend with removing 89 million pounds of thawing, rotting meat, debris and other material.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

Mowbray has had to contend with an injury crisis in the early part of the season, with more than 10 players ruled out in the opening weeks.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

They contend the economy is not as strong as it looks.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 19, 2026

Now it was up to me to contend with whatever evil I had brought upon us.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

It also contends that its messaging and image-sharing apps should not have to face additional requirements under the OSA, such as tackling paid-for fraud ads.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

And Alexander Hamilton advocated not for “a permanent pool of U.S. government bonds,” as Mr. Wigglesworth contends, but for “public credit immortal.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Retail investors, too, are poised to increase their buying of stocks and options after pulling in their horns during September, he contends.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

Hammer was dropped by his agency and lost acting jobs, and he now contends he had no idea “Citizen Vigilante” would be so “disgusting.”

From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026

On the other hand, Dr. Wayland Hayes of the United States Public Health Service contends that in every individual a point of equilibrium is reached, and that DDT in excess of this amount is excreted.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

In defending the rule allowing stock gifts, the Treasury Department contended that the policy would encourage many more donations, outweighing the additional risk and volatility.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

Investment firm executives had long contended that they were largely exempt from that tax.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Chávez contended that families required stability before their children could take advantage of school, and a union was the first step, according to Chatfield.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

They also contended that the unit had little authority about which applicants advanced in the recruitment process — decisions, they said, that had to go through several layers of review.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

Often at funeral games after the death of kings when you yourself contended, you’ve seen athletes cinch their belts when trophies went on view.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer

Job seekers are now contending with increasingly personalized traps, said James Lee, president of the Identity Resource Theft Center.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 5, 2026

Lupoi was the missing piece alongside Rivera and Chancellor Rich Lyons, forming a trio of Berkeley graduates who understand the importance of elevating the university’s profile with a contending football program.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

Smaller businesses are also contending with how much choice to offer customers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

"Bringing together groups with contending understandings of the Ethiopian state, for the first time ever, itself has been a successful exercise," said Alamrew Yirdaw, a participant from the Amhara region.

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

It took them two hours to reach the monkey house, contending the whole way with ill- tempered commuters.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Related Words

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