1
as in competing
to engage in a contest
two traditional rivals contending for the championship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
One of the Super Bowl contending teams who could be active at the deadline is the Buffalo Bills.
—
Ben Morse, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
That will be another tough test, as Carolina faces Jordan Love and the potential Super Bowl-contending Green Bay Packers.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
There were no matchups between favorites, no major upsets and minimal notable injuries among contending teams.
—Scott Phillips, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
The Mid-City district requested a delay, contending the proposal was an improper attempt by the mayor’s office to take funds away from neighborhood leaders.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
When the Kansas City Chiefs started the season 1-2, many were quick to cast doubt on the contending capabilities of the reigning AFC champions — NBC News included.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2025
Production is underway in New York on C-Side, an independent feature film from writer-director Stacey Maltin (Triple Threat), who reunites with Emmy and Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh (Nobody Wants This) following her performance in the helmer’s 2026 Oscar-contending live-action short film, Malka.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2025
Baltimore won a playoff game last season and entered 2025 with expectations of contending for a Super Bowl title.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
The Kelly administration has refused to comply, contending that doing so would be a privacy breach that violates state and federal law because the USDA has indicated the data could be shared with outside groups.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
Ben Morse, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
That will be another tough test, as Carolina faces Jordan Love and the potential Super Bowl-contending Green Bay Packers.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
There were no matchups between favorites, no major upsets and minimal notable injuries among contending teams.
—Scott Phillips, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
The Mid-City district requested a delay, contending the proposal was an improper attempt by the mayor’s office to take funds away from neighborhood leaders.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
When the Kansas City Chiefs started the season 1-2, many were quick to cast doubt on the contending capabilities of the reigning AFC champions — NBC News included.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2025
Production is underway in New York on C-Side, an independent feature film from writer-director Stacey Maltin (Triple Threat), who reunites with Emmy and Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh (Nobody Wants This) following her performance in the helmer’s 2026 Oscar-contending live-action short film, Malka.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2025
Baltimore won a playoff game last season and entered 2025 with expectations of contending for a Super Bowl title.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
The Kelly administration has refused to comply, contending that doing so would be a privacy breach that violates state and federal law because the USDA has indicated the data could be shared with outside groups.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contending
Verb
-
To rebuild the ceiling — the realistic hope of actually competing for a Super Bowl — the Chargers will have to wait until next year, when Slater and Alt return.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
5 Nov. 2025
-
With traditional entertainment, games, TikTok, GenAI, and more competing for fans’ attention, audiences seem more saturated than ever before.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The two were arguing inside a car and then got out of the car, where the fight escalated, police said.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
One report, citing a source close to Sheridan, even claimed the writer was annoyed that Paramount sent too many of its top suits to a meeting designed to keep Sheridan onboard, arguing that Ellison had messed up by bringing more than two execs along with him.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Meanwhile, Madrid’s official complaints to the Spanish government’s Higher Sports Council, alleging that La Liga did not have the competency to organise the Miami game within official regulations, sought to raise the possibility of Tebas being suspended from his position.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Hours before the court filing alleging a possible violation of the judge’s order, Bovino defended federal agents’ conduct in the Chicago area during an interview with CBS News.—
Amanda Musa,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The other offering is Project Eluna, an agentic AI system—designed to act with a degree of autonomy, reasoning through complex operational situations and recommending actions to operators.—
Abhishek Bhardwaj,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Clearly, the cost arguments haven’t been persuasive, with people reasoning the slightly higher costs are worth the improved treatment of farm animals.—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But in the decades since, the iconic mission has become the source of several major conspiracy theories, primarily one claiming that the landing itself was a hoax entirely staged by NASA.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Rogan fired back by claiming that Harris and her team never agreed to an appearance on his podcast.—
Katherine Schaffstall,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Cheney played a central role in shaping the Bush administration’s case for war in Iraq, repeatedly asserting that Saddam Hussein had ties to al-Qaeda and weapons of mass destruction.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Violence is for getting your way; for asserting your existence as an individual or a group; for venting torrential feeling; for sadistic pleasure.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The video of Beverly insisting on snuggling into Jeremy’s lap melted hearts across Instagram.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Theatrical worthiness is a recurring theme, with audiences insisting this arc had to be a movie.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Diaz received just over six years in prison after pleading guilty to distributing painkillers and obstructing justice in a cooperation deal that also required his testimony at Carpman’s trial.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Kore-eda emphasized the importance of a communal experience in watching Hamnet, pleading the audience to catch Zhao’s film in a theater.—
Sara Merican,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contending. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share