contested

American  

[kuhn-tes-tid] / kənˈtɛs tɪd /

adjective

1. battled; fought.

   Bates pulled off the win, 82–79, in a tightly contested matchup.

2. involving a disagreement or dispute.

   The waiting period for a contested divorce has been reduced to 12 months.

3. being fought over; in dispute.

   The contested land is located 30 kilometers south of the city.

   At times, the parties may not come to an agreement, or they may only agree on some of the contested issues.

4. involving more than one candidate.

   Congressional redistricting and a contested Senate seat led to a series of competitive Michigan primaries on Tuesday.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of contest.

Other Word Forms

• uncontested adjective
• uncontestedly adverb
• well-contested adjective

Etymology

Origin of contested

contest ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Something that's contested is argued over or questioned. Contested election results may need to be re-counted, since the two sides can't agree on their validity. Controversial and contentious issues — like debated topics or lawsuits — are often described as "hotly contested," or energetically argued over. Elections, community issues, sporting matches, and scientific ideas are all frequently contested. The word has been used since the 1770s to describe political elections in the US, and it comes from the Latin word contestari, "to call to witness or bring action."

Example Sentences

Ukraine has shown what war looks like from a more vulnerable position, when that strength is contested at scale.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

They load onto tankers at Houston and Corpus Christi in Texas “without crossing contested waters.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

I have forgotten the name of our opponent, but I do remember that it was a brutally contested game on a very hot day and we were ahead by only three points.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

After the Lakers gave up a 9-0 run to start the second quarter, he hit a contested three out of a timeout to get the team back on track.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

What has never been contested is the beauty and timeless power of the songs the Gershwins created for Porgy and.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• debated