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
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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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.
“It’s unexpected how something like that can accelerate into such a contentious situation,” Levinson says, “where well-educated people in a wonderful community can’t figure things out.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Here is why the drive has become so contentious:
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
The paper says the under-30s migration is likely to be the most contentious part of any agreement, and negotiations on this "are still taking place".
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
While Johnson’s elasticity as a performer is a bit more contentious, I’ve always found her choices fascinating — oscillating between rom-coms, superhero films and arthouse horror with the bat of a mascara’d eye.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026
“Liza says I am contentious, but now I’m caught in a web of my children—and I think I like it.”
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
