1
as in competing
to engage in a contest
two traditional rivals contending for the championship
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in arguing
to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration
contended that the senator's considerable experience made him the best candidate
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in alleging
to state as a fact usually forcefully
contended that his opponent was wrong about practically everything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contending
This is where those pieces of history come into play, since jockeys riding notable contending horses are more likely to get TV face time.
—
Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 15 May 2026
Meanwhile, the city of San Diego refused to issue permits, contending the project of 139 hotel rooms and 75 apartments above ground-floor shops is not legal as proposed.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2026
Of the three other teams chasing the Cubs in this division, Pittsburgh just might have the best chance of contending all summer.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The government is citing legal technicalities and contending that the law does not define how a commission should be fairly balanced or whose viewpoints should be represented.
—Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
The government is citing legal technicalities and contending the law does not define how a commission should be fairly balanced or whose viewpoints should be represented.
—ABC News, 9 May 2026
Cramer brushed off that concern for AMD, contending the supply constraints actually reinforce a broader imbalance that drives demand and pricing power and supports its stock performance .
—Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 4 May 2026
Landlords said rental assistance never fully compensated them for their losses, contending programs were often mired in red tape and poorly run.
—Michael Casey, Fortune, 3 May 2026
Medicaid advocates say that many eligible people could lose coverage, contending that Nebraska officials haven’t given enrollees enough advance notice or clear guidance on how the process works.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 1 May 2026
Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 15 May 2026
Meanwhile, the city of San Diego refused to issue permits, contending the project of 139 hotel rooms and 75 apartments above ground-floor shops is not legal as proposed.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 May 2026
Of the three other teams chasing the Cubs in this division, Pittsburgh just might have the best chance of contending all summer.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The government is citing legal technicalities and contending that the law does not define how a commission should be fairly balanced or whose viewpoints should be represented.
—Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
The government is citing legal technicalities and contending the law does not define how a commission should be fairly balanced or whose viewpoints should be represented.
—ABC News, 9 May 2026
Cramer brushed off that concern for AMD, contending the supply constraints actually reinforce a broader imbalance that drives demand and pricing power and supports its stock performance .
—Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 4 May 2026
Landlords said rental assistance never fully compensated them for their losses, contending programs were often mired in red tape and poorly run.
—Michael Casey, Fortune, 3 May 2026
Medicaid advocates say that many eligible people could lose coverage, contending that Nebraska officials haven’t given enrollees enough advance notice or clear guidance on how the process works.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contending
Verb
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Teams are at the center of the action when competing against another, complete with the celebrations and disappointments that are the hallmarks of any game show.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
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The competing offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo should answer that question.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
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In recent years, a few prominent detransitioners, including Chloe Cole and Prisha Mosley, have advocated for restrictions on transition care for minors, arguing in lawsuits against doctors who treated them that their care was too easy to access and that doctors failed them.—
Jo Yurcaba,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
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James Ward During the debate, Republican candidate Steve Hilton said that only a small percentage of California has been developed for housing, arguing that the state should focus on building homes on undeveloped land rather than increasing density in existing cities.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Musk filed suit in 2024, alleging breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment.—
Anisha Sircar,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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The flurry of headlines about what was left out of the film—most obviously, the 1993 lawsuit that accused Jackson of molesting a 13-year-old, and subsequent lawsuits alleging similar abuse—also haven’t mattered.—
Jemele Hill,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Initially working out of a facility in the industrial section of Seattle, Stephenson gathered a group of like minds to brainstorm new methods for reaching space, reasoning that chemical rockets had not much improved in the decades since their debut.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 May 2026
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Although studio Universal had wanted to skip critic screenings, Gunn managed to persuade them otherwise, reasoning that some positive reviews might sell a few extra tickets.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Right-wing figures claiming to have been barred include Polish politician Dominik Tarczynski, Belgian politician Filip Dewinter, anti-Islam commentator Valentina Gomez and Dutch activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
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The Steelers won four of their final five games, claiming the AFC North title with a thrilling Week 18 victory over the Ravens; Rodgers played many of his best games when the team needed them most.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Verb
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The law allows a President to exclude personal records, sets out timetables for releasing documents once the President has left office, and provides a mechanism for asserting executive privilege to keep certain material secret.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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Jokic stuck up for Adelman after the season-ending loss, asserting that the outcome wasn’t his fault.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated Wednesday that Moscow’s fundamental terms are unchanged, with Putin insisting that Ukraine pull its troops from the four regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia — that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022 but hasn’t fully captured.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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Then there are those who, as a rule, never touch the glands, insisting that the risks outweigh the benefits.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Videos published on social media this week show groups of crying women and children pleading for help.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
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She is charged with murder, manslaughter, assault and criminal possession of a weapon in Vasquez’s death, and was ordered held without bail after pleading not guilty at her arraignment Wednesday in Bronx Criminal Court.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contending. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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