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
In November 2026, 33 seats will be contested, 20 of which are currently held by Republicans and 13 by Democrats.
—
Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Picking a jury has been contested Jury selection has been contested almost from the beginning of the case, with prosecutors and defense attorneys haggling over what to ask.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 6 Nov. 2025
The bloodbath followed Louisiana’s fiercely contested 1872 gubernatorial election, where supporters of the white supremacist candidate refused to accept his defeat and set out to install their own local officials in Grant Parish.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Queens went 6-for-30 (20%) from deep and Winthrop wasn’t much better at 8-for-25 (32%), which meant most of the game was contested the old-fashioned way, via drives and rebounding and tough defense.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025
Half of the commissioners’ seats on the board opened in Tuesday’s election, and four of those races were contested.
—Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
Our elections have been routinely contested by the Democrats.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
That power shapes how identity is built, preserved and sometimes contested.
—Sudhir Gupta, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
Perhaps coincidentally, City and Chelsea contested that season’s Champions League final.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Picking a jury has been contested Jury selection has been contested almost from the beginning of the case, with prosecutors and defense attorneys haggling over what to ask.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 6 Nov. 2025
The bloodbath followed Louisiana’s fiercely contested 1872 gubernatorial election, where supporters of the white supremacist candidate refused to accept his defeat and set out to install their own local officials in Grant Parish.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Queens went 6-for-30 (20%) from deep and Winthrop wasn’t much better at 8-for-25 (32%), which meant most of the game was contested the old-fashioned way, via drives and rebounding and tough defense.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025
Half of the commissioners’ seats on the board opened in Tuesday’s election, and four of those races were contested.
—Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
Our elections have been routinely contested by the Democrats.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
That power shapes how identity is built, preserved and sometimes contested.
—Sudhir Gupta, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
Perhaps coincidentally, City and Chelsea contested that season’s Champions League final.
—Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contested
Verb
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But a couple of decades later, the rise of big-box retailers that boasted lower prices, like Walmart and Target, challenged that supremacy.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
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His bold approach has challenged both fans and music executives to see artists through a new lens.—
Evan Burke,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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When the deputy questioned Rustrian, the scuffle began, the source told CBS.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
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Stokes recently came under fire after several viral social media posts questioned her legal qualifications and reported connection to Second Chance Services, a mental health and addiction clinic in Charlotte.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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President Samia Suluhu Hassan was reelected last month, but the vote was marred by violence — widespread protests were met with bloody crackdowns, reportedly killing 800, although the government disputed the figure.—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
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He was accused of harassing the troops, though O'Hara disputed the claim.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contested.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contested. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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