contention

noun

con·​ten·​tion kən-ˈten(t)-shən How to pronounce contention (audio)
Synonyms of contentionnext
1
: a point advanced or maintained in a debate or argument
It is his contention that allowing a casino to be built would not be in the best interests of the city.
2
: an act or instance of contending
He has taken himself out of contention for the directorship.
3
: rivalry, competition

Synonyms

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discord, strife, conflict, contention, dissension, variance mean a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony.

discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony producing quarreling, factiousness, or antagonism.

a political party long racked by discord

strife emphasizes a struggle for superiority rather than the incongruity or incompatibility of the persons or things involved.

during his brief reign the empire was never free of civil strife

conflict usually stresses the action of forces in opposition but in static applications implies an irreconcilability as of duties or desires.

the conflict of freedom and responsibility

contention applies to strife or competition that shows itself in quarreling, disputing, or controversy.

several points of contention about the new zoning law

dissension implies strife or discord and stresses a division into factions.

religious dissension threatened to split the colony

variance implies a clash between persons or things owing to a difference in nature, opinion, or interest.

cultural variances that work against a national identity

Examples of contention in a Sentence

Tiger Woods splashed his way into contention in the New Zealand Open … shooting a four under par to close within six strokes of the lead. — New York Times, 13 Jan. 2002
The issues behind the protest are the usual bones of collective-bargaining contention: pay increases, vacation time, union membership. — Louis Menand, New Yorker, 17 & 24 June 2002
Science, and academic scholarship in general, the contention these days goes, is too subjective. Some even allege it's entirely subjective, as is, they say, history. — Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World, 1996
All quotes from QDB.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some weeks are especially busy with new releases and bestsellers, which pushes some longtime favorites out of contention. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 Trade tariff concerns, the issue of defense spending, and Trump's approach to Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent bloody war, are all matters of contention. — David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025 That proverbial window of contention seemed to be open for Miami in 2023. — Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2025 But there’s still levels to championship contention, and Golden State knows that better than every team. — Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contention

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contencioun "dissension, dispute," borrowed from Anglo-French cuntençun, contencion, borrowed from Latin contentiōn-, contentiō "exertion, competition, conflict," from conten-, variant stem of contendere "to strain, make an effort, strive, compete" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at contend

Note: Regarding the variant -ten- with deverbal suffixes beginning in -t- (so contentiō rather than *contensiō), see the note at tender entry 3.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of contention was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing contention

Rhymes for contention

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Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Contention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contention. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

contention

noun
con·​ten·​tion kən-ˈten-chən How to pronounce contention (audio)
1
: an act or instance of contending
2
: an idea or point for which a person argues (as in a debate or argument)

More from Merriam-Webster on contention

Nglish: Translation of contention for Spanish Speakers

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