contentious
Americanadjective
-
tending to argument or strife; quarrelsome.
a contentious crew.
- Synonyms:
- argumentative, disputatious
-
causing, involving, or characterized by argument or controversy.
contentious issues.
-
Law. pertaining to causes between contending or opposing parties.
adjective
-
tending to argue or quarrel
-
causing or characterized by dispute; controversial
-
law relating to a cause or legal business that is contested, esp a probate matter
Other Word Forms
- contentiously adverb
- contentiousness noun
- noncontentious adjective
- noncontentiously adverb
- overcontentious adjective
- overcontentiously adverb
- overcontentiousness noun
- uncontentious adjective
- uncontentiously adverb
- uncontentiousness noun
Etymology
Origin of contentious
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English contenciose, from Latin contentiōsus, from contenti(ō) contention + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
A contentious issue is one that people are likely to argue about, and a contentious person is someone who likes to argue or fight. Some issues are very controversial. They're also contentious, because people tend to argue about them, and the arguments will probably go on forever. Contentious issues get people angry and in a fighting mood. On the other hand, some people always seem to be in a fighting mood, no matter what the issue is. People like that are contentious too.
Vocabulary lists containing contentious
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 4
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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.
HoldCo has made its name through several contentious campaigns.
From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026
“Magyar’s attempt to unwind this system—through anti-corruption drives, institutional reshuffling, or fiscal reform—is likely to be legally complex, politically contentious, and time-consuming.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
During a contentious spousal support dispute in 2025, Hirschi described the “Everybody Hates Chris” veteran as “semi-retired,” Us Weekly reported in February.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Sweeping contentious issues under the rug and relegating them to wanton aggravation is one major way of letting these same topics fester.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026
Benighted, contentious, passionate, ignorant souls, countryfolk of a poor land, their generosity gave a noble ending to that hard journey.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
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.
