contention

American  

[kuhn-ten-shuhn] / kənˈtɛn ʃən /

noun

1. a struggling together in opposition; strife.

   Synonyms:

   combat, conflict

2. a striving in rivalry; competition; contest.

3. strife in debate; dispute; controversy.

   Synonyms:

   altercation, debate, dissension, disagreement

   Antonyms:

   agreement

4. a point contended for or affirmed in controversy.

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contention British  

/ kənˈtɛnʃən /

noun

1. a struggling between opponents; competition

2. dispute in an argument (esp in the phrase bone of contention )

3. a point asserted in argument

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contention Idioms  

1. see bone of contention.

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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

Scotland's smaller player numbers may be a disadvantage overall, but for individuals it translates to a shorter route to international contention and less chance of being churned out once you get there.

From BBC

So our home is really the only asset that is in contention.

From MarketWatch

Skating through an injury and out of medal contention after a fall earlier in her free skate, Bonaly suddenly inserted the flip in the middle of her program.

From Los Angeles Times

Still, as Tuchel himself emphasised: "He's a great player who will always be in contention."

From BBC

“When a racer doesn’t feel comfortable to be on the edge of disaster, they are no longer in contention.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• allegation
• assertion
• belief
• claim
• discussion
• explanation
• hypothesis
• idea
• opinion
• plea
• position
• thesis