CONTENDS Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

contends

verb

present tense third-person singular of contend

as in competes

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in argues

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 alleges

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 contends Paramount contends that the transaction would bolster competition in streaming, as the combination of Paramount and Warner Bros would stand a better chance against stronger rivals like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon’s Prime Video. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 20 July 2026 Georgia Bedell contends that the Planning and Zoning Commission last winter didn’t do a meaningful review of the effect on air quality, water contamination nor the integrity of the nearby aquifer. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026 Similarly, Google contends that sharing search data as the EU now demands will risk user privacy. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026 The 12-state coalition, however, contends that the opposite is true. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 July 2026 Moody took photos of them and contends she was singled out because of her race when asked to remove her hat. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 July 2026 Rather than arguing that hallucinations are the greatest threat, this article contends that the more significant long-term risk is human skill decay. — Demetri Giannikopoulos, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 Iran contends that its theocracy is unified under the new supreme leader. — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026 Ryder, whose firm provides financial advice to individuals and businesses, contends market conditions will determine whether upcoming mega-cap IPOs will rip a page from SpaceX's playbook. — Emma Wilson, CNBC, 2 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contends

Verb

Jay still competes as part of the Huntington Beach Boardriders Club and holds down a major spot in the lineup at the pier.

— Corky Carroll, Oc Register, 18 July 2026
Every tool that requires setup, configuration, or behavioral change competes for a finite pool of attention.

— Vivian Toh, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of competes

Verb

Joe Bowring, the independent monitor of the PJM market, has warned that capacity prices could stay high and argues that large loads like data centers should bring their own generation, rather than lean on infrastructure the rest of us pay for.

— Melody Birmingham, Fortune, 23 July 2026
The lawsuit argues that the commission's position violates state law and the Wisconsin Constitution's guarantees of the right to vote and equal protection under the law.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026

Definition of argues

Verb

The federal lawsuit alleges that the city’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise program runs afoul of equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
The complaint alleges police received a call from a man who said his roommate, Binessu, had confessed to the shooting.

— Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026

Definition of alleges

Verb

Formed through the groundbreaking JYP/Republic Records A2K competition, which blended Western artists with K-pop training, the quartet now asserts significant artistic autonomy.

— Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Iran quickly responds with strikes against Israel and across the Gulf region and asserts control over the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil and natural gas supplies from the Gulf.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026

Definition of asserts

Verb

But if that sounds like a future arriving faster than society can absorb it, Wang insists the transition will be gradual.

— Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 July 2026
Fans, reporters, and traders now treat a team’s own internal preparations—press conference backdrops, jersey mockups, a YouTube upload—as signals worth betting on, even when the team insists there’s nothing behind them.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 23 July 2026

Definition of insists

Verb

The issue was first spotted by Tyler Murphy, co-founder of data removal service EasyOptOuts, who claims to have reported the problem to Apple in June 2025.

— James Peckham, PC Magazine, 22 July 2026
The plaintiff, a group called Men for Others, claims the Carmichael school is abandoning its all-boys mission and announced the decision with little community involvement.

— Chaewon Chung July 22, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026