contend

verb

con·tend | \ kən-ˈtend

contended; contending; contends

Definition of contend

1 : to strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties : struggle contended with the problems of municipal government will contend for the championship this year

2 : to strive in debate : argue

transitive verb

1 : maintain, assert contended that he was right contends that the new law would help only the wealthy

2 : to struggle for : contest She contended every point, objected to every request …— Margaret Mead

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about contend

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Examples of contend in a Sentence

These people contend that they have earned the right to the land. The team is expected to contend for the championship this year.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Knicks were hoping to sign Durant, pair him with a second star (Kyrie Irving), fill out the roster and contend next season. — Chris Mannix, SI.com, "Where Will Kawhi Go? Five Biggest Questions of the NBA Offseason," 14 June 2019 Despite all the problems USAG must contend with, Leung is determined to turn it around. — Alice Park, Time, "Can Anyone Save the Scandal-Plagued USA Gymnastics? Li Li Leung Is Determined to Try," 13 June 2019 Even as a talented forward, Withers will have to wait in line behind Cards veterans Jordan Nwora and Dwayne Sutton while also contending with freshman wing Samuell Williamson. — Danielle Lerner, The Courier-Journal, "'His skill set is crazy': Jaelyn Withers may be Louisville's most underrated freshman," 4 June 2019 Related: Four candidates, some new and others familiar, contend for San Antonio’s City Council District 6 With tension building between Brockhouse and Nirenberg, early voting turnout for the runoffs has also been strong. — Lauren Caruba, ExpressNews.com, "Candidates in San Antonio City Council District 6 runoff say voters more energized, polarized," 4 June 2019 Her impossibly chic and on trend outfit (obviously designed by the artist herself) was contended by her mom’s summery ruffled dress. — Tatum Dooley, Teen Vogue, "What Bella Hadid, Miley Cyrus and Rihanna Wore This Week," 31 May 2019 Clotilda kept her secrets over the decades, even as some deniers contended that the shameful episode never occurred. — National Geographic, "Last American slave ship is discovered in Alabama," 22 May 2019 One recently settled lawsuit contended employers should have protected employees from plan administrators using their information to sell them products. — Anne Tergesen, WSJ, "A New Fight Breaks Out Over 401(k) Fees," 8 May 2019 Critics also contend that the cost of creating the new weapons is ultimately unnecessary and wasteful. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Trump Administration Begins Production of New Nuclear Weapon," 1 Feb. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'contend.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.