CONTEND (WITH) Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

contend (with)

verb

Definition of contend (with)

as in to address

to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently a multitude of problems to contend with as soon as he returned to the office

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to oppose

to strive to reduce or eliminate medical missionaries who daily contend with disease and poverty

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contend (with)

Verb

Following a community meeting attended by more than 200 Laramie County residents, Google and its partners are establishing a Community Council to address concerns about the effects of data center expansion on Cheyenne and surrounding communities.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
Caltrans has tried for years to address Highway 39’s long-term future.

— Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of address

Verb

These people eventually were able to think outside opposing viewpoints.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Nov. 2026
The proposal would face resistance from congressional Republicans, private insurers, and others opposed to fundamentally restructuring the country’s healthcare system.

— Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of oppose

Verb

The Rams still managed to rack up 513 yards of offense on the Broncos, including several big plays in which a Rams receiver was wide open, or several Bronco defenders missed tackles that turned a short gain into a big play.

— Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 8 Nov. 2026
And our research at Xero shows that owners spend nearly 22 hours a month on finance alone—just tracking and managing money.

— Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of manage

Verb

Brown's career started as well as anyone could have imagined, as the former sixth-round-pick from Central Michigan went from fighting to earn a roster spot to becoming one of the most prolific wide receivers in Pittsburgh franchise history.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
The American Gaming Association has been fighting prediction markets as unlicensed gambling.

— Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of fight

Verb

However, the designer needed some time off, if not entirely detached, from the whirlwind of handling a fashion megabrand.

— Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2026
Democratic staffers on the Senate Finance Committee intend to home in on how high-ranking executives at JPMorgan handled Epstein, a source familiar with the panel's thinking told CNBC on Thursday.

— Eamon Javers,Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of handle

Verb

This early risk awareness later defined his policy position, as Knot gained a reputation during his tenure as Dutch central bank governor for aggressively combating inflation, enforcing fiscal discipline, and safeguarding financial stability.

— , CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
The irony is that Western Massachusetts built the blueprint for combating exactly this.

— Tara Knight, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of combat

Verb

Rather than relying on separate mechanisms for navigating terrain and manipulating objects, the robots can use their flexible bodies and gripping claws to perform both functions.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2026
These included being able to carry out cyberattacks at huge scale, manipulating politics, controlling robotics and drones, design of even smarter AI that outpaces human understanding, and even novel weapons development.

— Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of manipulate

Verb

The United States has taken another significant step towards strengthening its military installations.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
The Monarchs were clinging to a 21-20 lead in the second set when Matavao took control, hammering spikes for her team’s last four points.

— Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of take

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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contends (with)

contend (with)

content

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“Contend (with).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contend%20%28with%29. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of contend (with)

verb

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