contested
Americanadjective
-
battled; fought.
Bates pulled off the win, 82–79, in a tightly contested matchup.
-
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.
As plans to cushion the closure’s impact progress, the exact root of the decision to shut down the airport is still hotly contested.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 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
The Black Ferns have beaten the Red Roses in all five World Cup final meetings they have contested.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
This is about your wife and her family — not you, nor whether or not you should have contested the decision.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
Likewise, the celebrated rationality of the fifth century represents a retrospective bleaching of what was actually a complex and contested story.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
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.
