1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to oppose
to strive to reduce or eliminate
medical missionaries who daily contend with disease and poverty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contend (with)
Verb
-
Trump administration officials also want to work toward establishing a Board of Trade with China to address commercial differences between the countries.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026 -
If the divorce paperwork does not address the loan, or if your former spouse cannot qualify to refinance, talk with your family law attorney about your options.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Extending housing to remote areas requires new roads, water systems, sewers, schools, and fire protection, all of which are costly and often opposed by local governments.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
The wall is opposed by environmental groups, local sheriffs, and a far-right pro-gun YouTuber who is the region’s Republican nominee for Congress.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Reece James ticks the most boxes, but would need to be managed through a tournament that could involve eight matches in 33 days.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Analysts also cheered the launch of software tools for developers and AI agents to manage and transact with USDC, Circle's flagship stablecoin.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The Steelers will likely win around 10 games and once again be fighting into the final weeks of the season for a playoff berth.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
The Warsh view A concern with Miran's approach is that, if the Fed keeps looking through supply shocks, markets and the public will doubt its inflation-fighting credibility.—
Matt Peterson,Steve Liesman,
CNBC,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
That alone sets it apart from earlier delivery drones that could only handle lighter orders.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
Think cordless leaf blowers that make quick work of debris, robot mowers that handle the lawn, and so much more.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Tea tree and eucalyptus oil have both proven to be very effective at combating fungal infections.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
China has looked to redefine its global brand in an effort to boost tourism and combat negative narratives.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
In most cases, similar to engine controls, this climate control system can be checked for codes and the various modes manipulated with a scan tool.—
John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs And Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
-
This likely created new evolutionary pressure for specialized hand use during tasks such as carrying objects, manipulating tools, or gesturing.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
When occupancy is lower, the evening happy hour takes place in the lobby lounge, but does not skimp on the buffet spread of hot and cold items, enough for dinner for many people.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
-
Trump took credit for an April 16th agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which Iran demanded as a condition for broader talks with the United States.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Contend (with).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contend%20%28with%29. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
