contention
Americannoun
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a struggling together in opposition; strife.
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a striving in rivalry; competition; contest.
-
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
-
dispute in an argument (esp in the phrase bone of contention )
-
a point asserted in argument
Other Word Forms
- contentional adjective
- noncontention noun
- precontention noun
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”; contend ) + -iō -ion
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.
One of Senegal's points of contention is the detention of 18 Senegalese football fans in Morocco for more than two months now.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
Arteta confirmed Eze will miss the game through injury, but Odegaard and Timber are in contention to return, while Madueke's injury is not as bad as first feared and is a doubt.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
If other drivers emerge as threats, he will do the same, unless and until one of them is no longer in contention.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
The county is moving toward finalizing the proposal, and has granted it an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act — a point of contention for many residents.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
For fifteen minutes, they were left alone with the cameras rolling, with instructions to discuss any topic from their marriage that had become a point of contention.
From "Blink" 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.
