CONTENDING Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

contending

verb

present participle of contend

as in competing

to engage in a contest two traditional rivals contending for the championship

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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

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 contending Boston Bruins The Bruins have an average at best roster and farm system, and trying to win while rebuilding on the fly is something that usually backfires more often than leading to a contending team. — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Kiley turned the criticism around, contending that his willingness to work with both parties was a strength. — Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Honeywell will now try to craft some similar moments with a contending Padres team. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 The commission decided to require the regulatory language, contending such language is needed to make the policies in the plan enforceable under the state’s Coastal Act. — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026 Her absence — along with DNPs from multiple key Liberty starters — contributed to a contending team entering Thursday in a three-way tie for sixth place in league standings. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026 While the competition is still several weeks out, some of the first marmots in the competition have already been introduced on the contending marmots Instagram. — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 The Crowley campaign reacted to the Michigan election result by contending Hong's margin is not as wide as polling predicts, arguing her voter coalition is one that has never occurred in a statewide race in the Badger State. — Molly Beck, jsonline.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Union officials and House Democrats close to labor dismissed Welch’s claim, contending Benton had no real influence over organized labor’s decisions. — Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contending

Verb

Unwilling to expose himself in this moment, Paul Baker juggles both of his competing personas, continuing the bro-y shouting but with a new panic in his voice and in Jack Innanen’s expressions.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
The battle for Charlotte’s wealth Charlotte’s hometown banking giants like Truist and Bank of America, as well as San Francisco’s Wells Fargo, are competing with aggressive out-of-state newcomers to capture clients.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of competing

Verb

O’Leary, who owns multimillion-dollar homes in Florida, Massachusetts, and Toronto, has made the point to shop at Walmart on numerous occasions—long arguing that there’s no reason to pay more for everyday essentials when a cheaper option will do.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Nevada promptly sued, arguing the plan is untenable for Las Vegas.

— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of arguing

Verb

Jacqueline Smith, the publication’s ombudsman, sued the Department of Defense in June, alleging First Amendment violations after being forced out.

— Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Authorities say the victim waited a week to report the incident, alleging that Alvarez warned him not to contact law enforcement.

— Steve Maugeri, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of alleging

Verb

Every prompt, retrieval, reasoning step and autonomous agent action consumes tokens that translate directly into cost.

— Daniel Fallmann, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Other planning engines run scenarios sequentially, in cycles measured in hours, which is why their AI can only report on what has already been computed rather than reasoning live, KetteQ said.

— Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of reasoning

Verb

Miss Manners remembers when banks started claiming to be their clients’ friends.

— Judith Martin, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
Depending on state policy, parents may be able to opt out of certain or all vaccines by claiming an exemption for medical, religious or philosophical reasons.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of claiming

Verb

Dockworkers are blocking weapons shipments, asserting the right to conscientious objection as a means of protection from unjustified charges and disciplinary action.

— Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
McArn agreed, asserting that closing the contract would not prevent the district and teachers association from negotiating further.

— Chaewon Chung August 28, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of asserting

Verb

That hasn’t stopped Casinos and sportsbooks, who have every reason to feel threatened by a more fair and transparent model, from insisting these markets have no economic utility.

— Brian Quintenz, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
When the attention waned, Freedom showed up to one of Sophie Cunningham’s games, hoping to mooch off the fame of America’s new athlete face of trans resistance, wearing a shirt insisting that a woman is defined by biology alone.

— Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of insisting

Verb

In 2014, the late Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was suspended for six games and fined $500,000 after pleading guilty to driving while impaired.

— Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
The arrest came after Lyman and Eli’s relatives spent more than a year publicly pleading for answers.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026