contested
Americanadjective
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battled; fought.
Bates pulled off the win, 82–79, in a tightly contested matchup.
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involving a disagreement or dispute.
The waiting period for a contested divorce has been reduced to 12 months.
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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.
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involving more than one candidate.
Congressional redistricting and a contested Senate seat led to a series of competitive Michigan primaries on Tuesday.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of contested
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."
Vocabulary lists containing contested
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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.
"In a world of infinite choice, audiences are fragmenting, trust is scarce and facts are contested," Brittin said.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
The swift rebound in shipments in recent weeks has been driven by U.S. naval protection and earlier waves of strikes that knocked out Iranian radar and communications along the contested strait.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
This 20th edition of the Games, which were first contested in 1951, did not have a traditional athletes' village in a bid to save money.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
He said the situation was "contested by Manchester City" and it would be "wrong" to "jump to a conclusion".
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
As for Tawantinsuyu, smallpox wiped out Wayna Qhapaq and his court, which led to civil war as the survivors contested the spoils.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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.
