as in challenged
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
vowed to contest the claim in court
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Recent Examples of contested
The chain of events that led to this moment is contested, with those involved denying culpability.
—
Jake Kanter, Deadline, 3 June 2026
But where Jay’s place in the hip-hop tradition is fixed, Drake’s is forever contested.
—Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2026
Congressional District will be contested between Gallagher and McGuire come November.
—Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
East Laurens’ maiden championship, won in girls basketball, was among the more extraordinary of 180 state titles contested in 2025-26.
—Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 3 June 2026
The game was tightly contested for three quarters.
—Christopher Harris, CBS News, 2 June 2026
The campaign has been hotly contested, with each candidate bringing in seven figures in fundraising and walking a line between appealing to the party’s base and to more independent general election voters.
—Mike Catalini, Fortune, 2 June 2026
And in France, a country whose approach to secularism is increasingly contested because of its strict regulation of religion in public life, some 13,000 adults were baptized at the Easter Vigil this year — 42% of them ages 18 to 25.
—ABC News, 1 June 2026
Both routes are slow, and both are contested.
—Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Jake Kanter, Deadline, 3 June 2026
But where Jay’s place in the hip-hop tradition is fixed, Drake’s is forever contested.
—Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2026
Congressional District will be contested between Gallagher and McGuire come November.
—Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
East Laurens’ maiden championship, won in girls basketball, was among the more extraordinary of 180 state titles contested in 2025-26.
—Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 3 June 2026
The game was tightly contested for three quarters.
—Christopher Harris, CBS News, 2 June 2026
The campaign has been hotly contested, with each candidate bringing in seven figures in fundraising and walking a line between appealing to the party’s base and to more independent general election voters.
—Mike Catalini, Fortune, 2 June 2026
And in France, a country whose approach to secularism is increasingly contested because of its strict regulation of religion in public life, some 13,000 adults were baptized at the Easter Vigil this year — 42% of them ages 18 to 25.
—ABC News, 1 June 2026
Both routes are slow, and both are contested.
—Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contested
Verb
-
The Justice Department then challenged Vermont’s law, with more than 20 state attorneys general intervening.—
Yaël Ossowski,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
Gyasi’s case is among the latest to be challenged in a federal court system struggling to keep up with the administration’s aggressive moves to maximize the number of immigrants removed from the US and increase vetting of visitors on nonimmigrant visas.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
But Florida’s family court guardians ad litem are not required to have any training in mental health or domestic abuse, while experts have long questioned the extent to which judges should rely on psychologists’ recommendations.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
-
Democrats and some Republicans questioned using taxpayer money for the massive project, and Republicans did not include it in the final bill when it was released on Wednesday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Though the figure is sometimes disputed, The Or Foundation estimates that of the 15 million garments flowing into Kantamanto weekly, 40 percent exit as garbage in short order.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
8 June 2026
-
But Beatty disputed that assertion about ex officio voting rights, as did Kaiser.—
Janay Kingsberry,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contested.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contested. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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