as in aggression
an inclination to fight or quarrel
his natural tendency towards contentiousness made him a poor choice for a diplomatic post
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Recent Examples of contentiousness
Reinecke attributed some of the contentiousness to a conflict between economic development and historic preservation.
—
Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contentiousness
Noun
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In the public mind, weakness invited aggression.—
Dustin Olson,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
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Moreover, America is already committed to defending Greenland against aggression via Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.—
Peter Juul Tribune News Service,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And the first half was a virtuoso blend of aggressiveness and controlling tempo from Payton, as Nix had a couple of deep shots to Marvin Mims and Lil'Jordan Humphrey, but also controlled the game with his legs.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
18 Jan. 2026
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The 2026 version of the San Diego Mojo is built on a blend of toughness and aggressiveness that shines through with a relentless defense that extends rallies and attempts to frustrate the offense on the other side of the net.—
Tim Meehan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Stuart said the measure reflects a sobering escalation in political hostility and violence.—
Jack O'Connor,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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In his second term, their defining emotions are hostility and happiness.—
Christine Zhang,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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For Republicans, the primary has become a struggle over how to keep Texas red, with their party weighing steadiness, combativeness and reinvention in the post-Trump era.—
Gromer Jeffers Jr.
Political,
Dallas Morning News,
2 Jan. 2026
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For those reading the tea leaves about the level of combativeness that next year’s talks could bring, some members of the strike-era leadership are back in 2026.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contentiousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contentiousness. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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