as in dispute
variance of opinion on a matter
the statement is certainly open to contestation among reasonable people
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contestation
What supplies all these events with a sense of approaching a precipice is the open contestation between pro- and anti-democratic forces, happening both here and abroad, in view of each other.
—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
17 Jan. 2026
That makes some of these contestations existential, particularly for smaller combatants.
—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Indeed, the existence of avenues for contestation is in the very nature of competitive authoritarianism.
—
Steven Levitsky,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Dec. 2025
The study spatializes the socio-cultural haunting of Indigenous and colonial histories and demonstrates how public spaces can be sites of democratic contestation and negotiation.
—
JSTOR Daily,
14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contestation
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
17 Jan. 2026
That makes some of these contestations existential, particularly for smaller combatants.
—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Indeed, the existence of avenues for contestation is in the very nature of competitive authoritarianism.
—
Steven Levitsky,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Dec. 2025
The study spatializes the socio-cultural haunting of Indigenous and colonial histories and demonstrates how public spaces can be sites of democratic contestation and negotiation.
—
JSTOR Daily,
14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contestation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contestation
Noun
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The dispute has opened a new front in a years-long fight over transparency at the shelter, which has faced multiple investigations into overcrowding, animal deaths and a sharp decline in transfers to rescue groups.
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As bitcoin becomes more involved in private contracts, treasury strategies, cross border settlement and business arrangements, disputes will not always arrive in court as dramatic stories about hacks or scams.
Noun
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Worth noting Relievers Sam Hentges and Ryan Walker made their first appearances back at Oracle Park since the Pride Night controversy became a national story.
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The controversy began during a segment on the French sports network L’Équipe when presenter France Pierron argued that participating in the World Cup was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that should take precedence over family obligations.
Noun
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This did not, however, mark the end of disputation concerning the Northwest Angle.
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According to him, advances in machine learning have yanked questions once trapped inside theological/philosophical disputations into corporate board packs.
Noun
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The breakout success of these films has ignited debate across Hollywood about what made these movies so popular, especially among Gen Z moviegoers who haven’t been flocking to cinemas in recent years.
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Major League Baseball's warning to several San Francisco Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on their Pride Night caps is fueling online debate about the limits of free expression in professional baseball.
Noun
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At the heart of this debate is a fundamental disagreement about sexuality, morality and identity.
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This is a strategic disagreement.
Cite this Entry
“Contestation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contestation. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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