contention

noun

con·​ten·​tion kən-ˈten(t)-shən 

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

• argument
• assertion
• hypothesis

Choose the Right Synonym for contention

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.

That has been a source of contention for years.

He is in contention for the Olympic medal.

Recent Examples on the Web

Drinkwitz has helped the Tigers get talented players and stay in contention, but Mizzou will always have a difficult path in the SEC. —Chris Vannini, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2025

The trial would address 23XI and Front Row’s contention that NASCAR uses monopoly power to suppress competition in its procurement of services provided by racing teams. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Oct. 2025

Canada is looking to reset relations with China after years of contention, as Ottawa’s trade spat with Washington worsens. —J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025

More importantly, Flacco has helped the Bengals stay in contention for the AFC North division title, something that seemed improbable when franchise QB Joe Burrow went down with an injury early in the season. —Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025

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

Phrases Containing contention

• in contention
• in contention for
• out of contention for
• point of contention

Rhymes for contention

• attention
• convention
• declension
• detention
• dimension
• dissension
• distension
• extension
• intension
• invention
• laurentian
• prehension

Kids Definition

contention

noun

con·​ten·​tion kən-ˈten-chən 

1

: an act or instance of contending

2

: an idea or point for which a person argues (as in a debate or argument)