1
as in arguments
an idea or opinion that is put forth in a discussion or debate
my contention is that today's lower batting averages are the result of better pitching
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in rivalries
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another
several actresses seem to be in heated contention for the title of "worst dressed"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contentions
The main contentions were the state not fully funding public schools according to the state’s funding formula and an additional $10 million to support the Missouri Scholars Program, which can go toward students in private schools.
—
Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026
The passing of time is the only thing that will reveal the veracity of their contentions and what some of the underlying numbers suggest regarding the quality of their at-bats not being reflected in their production.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
An administration official would make a claim about what happened, and later evidence would find these contentions to be misleading.
—Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
However, the reality is that peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US and Europe are clearly stalled, if at worse dead with many contentions from both sides surrounding security concerns and, importantly, trade sanctions.
—Earl Carr, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026
The passing of time is the only thing that will reveal the veracity of their contentions and what some of the underlying numbers suggest regarding the quality of their at-bats not being reflected in their production.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
An administration official would make a claim about what happened, and later evidence would find these contentions to be misleading.
—Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
However, the reality is that peace talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US and Europe are clearly stalled, if at worse dead with many contentions from both sides surrounding security concerns and, importantly, trade sanctions.
—Earl Carr, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contentions
Noun
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Some congressional Democrats have offered similar arguments, claiming that a gas tax holiday would be a drop in the bucket for consumers and that the only real way to bring down gas prices is to end the war with Iran.—
Justin Papp,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
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Earthrise rejected Becker’s arguments that the application does not properly identify wetlands that have been farmed.—
Alicia Fabbre,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
Noun
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One of the fiercest divisional rivalries in the NFL will have a new look to it.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
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Cherfilus-McCormick referenced a previous interaction with Wasserman Schultz, signaling that political rivalries could intensify if both enter the race for District 20.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The case for this argument is made even more compelling by appealing to neuroscience as the evidence base for these assertions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
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Note, too, that since there have been several bold assertions that the market was in another 1999 moment over the past decade or so.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
Noun
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But if both of those battles end up as washes, the Knicks could pull away in this series because their work on the glass earns them extra shots.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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Trustees increasingly want leaders capable of navigating not only fundraising and research growth, but also the political battles reshaping higher education.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
Noun
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The humans would explore — surfacing hypotheses, chasing hunches, venturing into territory the data didn’t obviously support.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
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To achieve this, domain experts need to provide their most sophisticated hypotheses and command the AI to find the failure points.—
Syed Ahmad,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Those struggles can manifest in a range of ways, McClanahan said, from finding new coping mechanisms to replace food to ongoing body image concerns, even after weight loss.—
Stephanie Anderson Witmer,
Health,
14 May 2026
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During the meeting, teams spoke about their struggles to support their travel to competitions.—
Katie Servas,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
Noun
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While the Federal Reserve has kept its benchmark interest rate on hold so far in 2026, inflation surged in March and April on the back of a rising oil price, overseas conflicts and geopolitical uncertainty.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
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Recent conflicts have accelerated interest in unmanned maritime warfare.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 May 2026
Noun
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This week’s quiz spotlights country stars and celebrity confrontations.—
Danielle Minnetian,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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Both men were hospitalized after the shooting; community members describe Eatherly as someone whose provocative actions have intensified tensions and dangerous confrontations.—
Kristin M. Hall,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contentions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contentions. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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