1
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight
the Tartars were a contentious people who terrorized much of Asia and eastern Europe during the Middle Ages
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in controversial
given to arguing
a tiresomely contentious person who likes to argue for the sake of arguing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in difficult
relating to or causing the expression of opposing opinions
gun control is likely to be a contentious subject in any group discussion
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contentious
The route’s alignment has been contentious for years.
—
Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
California and Texas are just two states that have been at the center of the contentious battle for control of the House in 2026, as more states across the country take a closer look at redrawing their congressional districts mid-decade to bolster their party’s power in Washington.
—Halle Troadec, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2025
Vrabel’s response was a contentious one.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Zohran Mamdani was projected to be elected the next mayor of New York, easily defeating challengers Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa in one of the most contentious races in recent memory to lead the city.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contentious
Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
California and Texas are just two states that have been at the center of the contentious battle for control of the House in 2026, as more states across the country take a closer look at redrawing their congressional districts mid-decade to bolster their party’s power in Washington.
—Halle Troadec, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2025
Vrabel’s response was a contentious one.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Zohran Mamdani was projected to be elected the next mayor of New York, easily defeating challengers Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa in one of the most contentious races in recent memory to lead the city.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contentious
Adjective
-
The incident comes amid growing scrutiny of the aggressive tactics used by Border Patrol and ICE, including against US citizens.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The Chiefs were again aggressive on fourth down — and successful at stopping them, too.—
Scott Chasen,
Kansas City Star,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
As my colleague Sam McDowell noted last month, the Chiefs’ have a short-yardage play that’s more effective than the Eagles’ controversial Tush Push.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Mamdani initially tried to stay on-message, offering a quick disavowal of an unsavory association or controversial past statement and pivoting back his agenda.—
Ben Adler,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Cue, Helm’s first rejection, abandonment, difficult emotions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
This character was actually quite difficult for me.—
Gavin J Blair,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Even leaving these facts aside, neither the doctrinaire socialism nor militant Islam have ever improved any place on earth, and New York City will not be the first.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
He was held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant group in Gaza allied with Hamas which also held Israeli hostages during the war.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The White House’s approach to social media now resembles the polemical, trolling, vicious manner of posting that Fuentes and his fans helped pioneer.—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The priest’s denunciations of violence against the New World’s darker people perfected a polemical style based not on revelation or appeals to authority but the power of personal witness.—
Greg Grandin
September 23,
Literary Hub,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Heading into a hostile environment at the Rogers Centre, the Dodgers must defeat the Toronto Blue Jays in Games 6 and 7 to clinch their second-straight World Series title.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Plot details are very hazy, but the word on the street is that the story centers on a ne’er-do-well smuggler who finds himself in the middle of a deadly double-cross while on a job in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in him surrounded by bodies, hostile mercenaries and thirsty sharks alike.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Many Democrats have adopted a more brash and confrontational style of politics, which refuses to keep anything quiet.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Yet Walden’s hero turn in the second episode makes a strong case for the value of confrontational interviews with powerful politicians.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Even the combative Venezuela of eight years ago, where kids with homemade shields assembled in the streets day after day to battle the dictatorship’s goons, is a fading memory.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Be curious rather than combative.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contentious. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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