contention
Americannoun
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contentions
plural
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a struggling together in opposition; strife.
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a striving in rivalry; competition; contest.
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strife in debate; dispute; controversy.
- Synonyms:
- altercation, debate, dissension, disagreement
- Antonyms:
- agreement
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a point contended for or affirmed in controversy.
noun
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a struggling between opponents; competition
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dispute in an argument (esp in the phrase bone of contention )
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a point asserted in argument
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing contention
"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from Act 3
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Monster
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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.
See Examples For:
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
During his 2025 confirmation hearing, Bessent indicated he had used the strategy while disputing Democrats’ contention that he saved more than $900,000.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
A win could catapult USC into serious contention for the College Football Playoff.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
His pace, energy and on-pitch persona propelled him into the public consciousness and into contention for international honours.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
Less controversial is the contention that there are no clear-cut, easy algorithms that allow us to distinguish science from pseudoscience in all cases.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
Evidence for many of these contentions is scant or absent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
American did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the union’s contentions.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 28, 2026
Amid these competing contentions, efforts are on to find a middle ground.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2025
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
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.
