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
Although that’s going to be contentious because Hamas is going to try to get involved in that process in order to rehabilitate its image.
—
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
See the contentious posts below.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 6 Oct. 2025
The extension to the agreement last fall followed two-plus years of contentious negotiations, with the teams’ side led by 23XI co-owner Curtis Polk, Jordan’s longtime business partner.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2025
And what about the relationship between Firehouse Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney), who had a highly contentious relationship with his team after taking it over last season from the promoted, and beloved Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker)?
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contentious
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
See the contentious posts below.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 6 Oct. 2025
The extension to the agreement last fall followed two-plus years of contentious negotiations, with the teams’ side led by 23XI co-owner Curtis Polk, Jordan’s longtime business partner.
—Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2025
And what about the relationship between Firehouse Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney), who had a highly contentious relationship with his team after taking it over last season from the promoted, and beloved Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker)?
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contentious
Adjective
-
Sell assets for picks and cap space and attack an aggressive rebuild this offseason.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Control an aggressive infestation with a preemergent herbicide applied in late summer before chickweed seeds germinate.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Daniels also said the bill could conflict with the higher education overhaul, Senate Bill 1, which prohibits universities from taking a position on controversial beliefs or policies.—
Jessie Balmert,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Oct. 2025
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But residents are demanding reassurance that the land won’t be used for controversial projects dividing other communities, such as data centers.—
Miranda Dunlap,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Advertisement An investigation led by the Guardian found in September that out of the 6,000 Palestinians from Gaza held by Israel since the Hamas terror attack two years ago, only one quarter were held on suspicion of militant links.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
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Israeli officials deny any systematic violations of international law and assert that Hamas routinely used noncombatants as human shields and smuggled humanitarian assistance, accusations denied by the militant group.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Tampa is heading into a hostile environment against a feisty Seattle Seahawks team that matches them with a 3-1 record.—
Josh Buckhalter,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Republicans, traditionally seen as more hostile to government, are often viewed as the shutdown aggressors.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In August, Kelley was arrested and charged with three misdemeanors — one for electronic communications harassment and two for electronic disclosure of personal identifying information — following days of apparent confrontational social media posts allegedly doxxing her friends and family members.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
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The equanimity in Wear’s presentation was a stark contrast to Charlie Kirk’s confrontational style.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Russian president struck an unusually combative tone, issuing stark warnings of potential retaliation over Western support for Ukraine and NATO expansion.—
Alia Shoaib,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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In a phone interview Thursday with Fox News Digital, Higby explained the group was sitting and having conversations with nearby protesters when a woman approached him and started being combative.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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However, such symptoms are hard to attribute to vaccines because infants can be irritable or fussy regardless of vaccination.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
19 Sep. 2025
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When the caffeine wears off, children may have a headache and feel irritable or tired.—
Dr. Mark Corkins,
Boston Herald,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contentious. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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