contended

past tense of contend
1
as in competed
to engage in a contest two traditional rivals contending for the championship

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of contended Bass also contended in interviews that Crowley failed to inform her of the fire danger presented by forecasted Santa Ana winds — despite those warnings being widely publicized by the National Weather Service and in media reports for days in advance. City News Service, Daily News, 10 June 2026 Prosecutors argued Anthony intentionally stabbed Metcalf during an altercation between the two teenagers, while defense attorneys contended Anthony acted in self-defense. Sergio Candido, CBS News, 9 June 2026 Similar to Price, National Parents Union President Keri Rodrigues contended that stakeholders must heed parents' calls for their children to be tech-fluent students of tomorrow. Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 9 June 2026 Defense attorneys contended that Anthony believed he was threatened and acted to protect himself after physical contact occurred. Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 9 June 2026 For years, archaeologists contended that the riverbed near Solothurn could contain a pile trestle due to the unique characteristics of this small municipality in Switzerland. Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 7 June 2026 Moussawi denied that the group was acting above the state but contended that the Lebanese Armed Forces’ weakness left Hezbollah with no choice but to respond. Mick Krever, CNN Money, 6 June 2026 Still, Lululemon has contended that O’Neill is the right person for the job. Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 4 June 2026 But organizers contended that a union would give them the legal right to a seat at the table in decisions about their jobs. Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contended
Verb
  • Their mother, Regina Rajchrtová, is a former professional tennis player who competed for Czechoslovakia in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
  • The fan favorite, who has competed four times across the franchise, was asked to audition for both her role of DeeDee, but also Hytes’ role, Amber.
    Matthew Huff, IndieWire, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • It can’t really even be argued that this is a game unfolding between two adults.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
  • The defense argued that if jurors believe Anthony felt genuine terror and had no chance for calm reflection, then sudden passion applies, pointing to the video as evidence.
    Doug Myers, CBS News, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • Mexican coach Javier Aguirre has publicly insisted that Ochoa will have to compete for minutes like any other player.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
  • The federation had insisted that all players and staff be granted visas, including those who had military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • All these years, the stigma stuck no matter how hard the family fought to change the narrative.
    Yumi Asada, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
  • Trump’s pitch came at a time when mixed martial arts had fought its way into the mainstream.
    Zac Anderson, USA Today, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • The judge reasoned that there remain factual disputes for jurors to weigh.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 2 June 2026
  • No Supreme Court decision, no matter how reactionary or ill-reasoned, will ever extinguish the desire of Black Americans to be free and equal.
    Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • Chicagoans have a deep reverence for the thick, unique pizza style, and Cornell and Stevenson said visitors from the Windy City have claimed Zelda’s is the most authentic version of the pie in California.
    Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2026
  • Court documents allege Evergreen Grocery and Deli claimed to have served more than 3,000 meals twice daily, seven days a week.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • That ruling focused on the referendum campaign, which raced to collect signatures across Missouri last year to hold a statewide vote on the map in November.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026
  • Retail traders raced to get in on SpaceX's IPO given their broad support for Musk following Tesla's success.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • But the realities of modern politics occasionally asserted themselves.
    ABC News, ABC News, 9 June 2026
  • Rather than creating a unified framework from the outset, different agencies have asserted authority over different aspects of the marketplace.
    Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Contended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contended. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.

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