noun
Uncommon
contention
kuhn-TEHN-shuhn
Contention (noun) means a claim or position put forward and argued for, especially in a debate. Example: “It is her contention that the policy will backfire.”
noun
1
A claim or position put forward and argued for, especially in a debate.
"It is her contention that the policy will backfire."
"His main contention was that students learn better after a good night's sleep."
"The lawyer's contention is that her client was nowhere near the shop."
2
Heated disagreement or dispute.
"The inheritance became a source of bitter contention among the siblings."
"The size of the garden fence was a constant point of contention between the neighbours."
"Money has long been a cause of contention in their family."
3
Competition between parties or systems for a limited resource.
"Several processes were in contention for the same memory."
"Two programs were in contention for the printer, so one had to wait."
"Contention for bandwidth slows the network when everyone is online."
How to use contention
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither an argued claim ("my contention is...") or open conflict/dispute over something.
Common pairings
a bone of contention
in contention for
point of contention
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Word forms
- Plural
- contentions
Fill the gap
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It is her _____ that the policy will backfire.
Etymology
From Old French contencion, from Latin contentio, built from contendere ("to contend") + -tion.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for contention
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for 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.
