point of contention

noun phrase

: the thing that people are arguing over
The main point of contention is who owns the timber rights to the land.

Examples of point of contention in a Sentence

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The department's pursuit policy has been a point of contention for years and has come under intense scrutiny after nine people died from police chase crashes in 2025. David Clarey, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026 The use of fossil fuels has been a point of contention, specifically, due to environmental concerns and an increase in carbon emissions, with some studies estimating that by 2030, data centers will emit 24 to 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Neil Strebig, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 5 Mar. 2026 That’s the key point of contention holding up passage in Congress of the Clarity Act, which is a companion bill to the Genius Act approved last year, setting up a framework for regulated stablecoins. Hugh Son, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2026 When Meghan Markle got ready to tie the knot with now-husband Prince Harry in 2018, her choice of tiara for her big day allegedly became a point of contention. Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 3 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for point of contention

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Cite this Entry

“Point of contention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/point%20of%20contention. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

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