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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in controversial
given to arguing
a tiresomely contentious person who likes to argue for the sake of arguing
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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
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contentious
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Powell appeared to irk Trump after saying Wednesday that the president’s contentious tariff plan could drive up inflation in the near-term and create challenges for the central bank in managing goals of high employment rates and price stability.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 18 Apr. 2025
The framework of the mineral deal had stalled in February following a contentious Oval Office meeting between Trump, Vance and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Angela Charlton and Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
The siblings also shared the screen together in the mid-2000s with House of Carters, which documented their at-times contentious relationships with one another.
—Kelsie Gibson, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contentious
Adjective
Pro athletes are generally expected to deal with difficult pressure, including contentious opponents and obnoxious fans.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Powell appeared to irk Trump after saying Wednesday that the president’s contentious tariff plan could drive up inflation in the near-term and create challenges for the central bank in managing goals of high employment rates and price stability.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 18 Apr. 2025
The framework of the mineral deal had stalled in February following a contentious Oval Office meeting between Trump, Vance and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Angela Charlton and Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
The siblings also shared the screen together in the mid-2000s with House of Carters, which documented their at-times contentious relationships with one another.
—Kelsie Gibson, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contentious
Adjective
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But in recent weeks, Musk dramatically lowered his taxpayer savings estimates from DOGE's government cuts, disagreed publicly with Trump's aggressive tariff policies and butted heads with multiple Trump officials, some publicly, revealing divisions within the White House over Musk's influence.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
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But last year, he was diagnosed with Richter’s Syndrome, another aggressive form of lymphoma, just before he was set to embark on a set of U.S. shows.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Or maybe Nintendo will issue one of those controversial upgrade packs for the game, allowing owners to bring Super Mario Odyssey over to the Switch 2 with new bells and whistles.—
Mitch Wallace,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Her appointment is the latest wrinkle in the ongoing legal dispute over Castillo’s controversial removal from office on Feb. 18, when the results of the city’s residency investigation were revealed to civic leaders in a closed-door meeting.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The Workplace Bully Forget the Hollywood version — the red-faced screamer, the open aggression bully.—
Jason Walker PsyD,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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That means reducing aggression, agitation, and sleep disturbances.—
Dr. Sabooh Mubbashar,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The attack at Pahalgam on Tuesday was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), which is an offshoot of Pakistan's Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
-
For decades, several domestic militant groups, demanding either independence for Kashmir or for the area to become part of Pakistan, have fought Indian security forces, leaving tens of thousands killed in the violence.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
John Shine described to me a research trip to the hostile mountain environs of Tasmania, where snakes stay under cover except for the 20 or 30 warm days each year.—
Stephen S. Hall,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
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Union members shared other experiences and stories, including those of an increasingly hostile work environment for some.—
Molly Guthrey,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Questions were raised over Putin’s motives in calling the brief halt to hostilities, which came just after the Trump administration threatened to abandon peace efforts without tangible signs of progress.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2025
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When expectant fathers face hostility or subtle exclusion at work, the consequences can extend beyond their own careers.—
Kim Elsesser,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The president’s softer tone towards China, despite no formal talks, was in stark contrast to his more combative rhetoric earlier in April.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2025
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Over the chaotic weekend that follows, people-pleaser Edward must juggle his burgeoning career plans with the care of four eccentric, combative, and wildly different ladies — none of whom really get along with any of the others.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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And even in what was a stilted match played in an increasingly irritable atmosphere, Rogers and Tielemans delivered with an assist each.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
-
This stretch can worsen pain in people with back pain, very tight hamstrings, or irritable nerves.—
Aubrey Bailey, PT, DPT, CHT,
Verywell Health,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contentious. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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