contention
8 synonyms and 0 antonyms for contention, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A claim or position put forward and argued for, especially in a debate.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use contention
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old French contencion, from Latin contentio, built from contendere ("to contend") + -tion.
Full origin of contention →Frequently asked questions
What does “contention” mean?
The word “contention” means a claim or position put forward and argued for, especially in a debate. In plain terms, either an argued claim ("my contention is...") or open conflict/dispute over something.
How do you pronounce “contention”?
“Contention” is pronounced kuhn-TEHN-shuhn (/kənˈtɛnʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “contention” in a sentence?
Here is “contention” used in a sentence: “It is her contention that the policy will backfire.”
What is another word for “contention”?
Words with a similar meaning to “contention” include gainstrife, gainstriving and wrangling.
What part of speech is “contention”?
“Contention” is a noun.
Where does the word “contention” come from?
The word “contention” comes from Latin. From Old French contencion, from Latin contentio, built from contendere ("to contend") + -tion.
Is “contention” a common word?
“Contention” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “contention” have?
“Contention” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a claim or position put forward and argued for, especially in a debate.
What is the difference between contention and contentious?
Contention is the noun describing a claim put forward in an argument, or the state of heated disagreement itself, while contentious is the adjective describing something likely to cause such disagreement, as in a contentious issue. You have a contention (an argument or dispute) about a contentious topic.
What does it mean to say something is someone's contention?
When something is described as a person's contention, it means it is the specific claim or position they are putting forward and arguing for, especially in a formal debate, negotiation, or legal case. For example, the lawyer's contention was that the contract had been broken.
How is contention used in the phrase 'in contention'?
In contention describes a state of active competition for a limited resource, prize, or position, such as a team being in contention for a championship. This usage draws on the sense of contention as competition between parties rather than the sense of a disputed claim.