as in challenged
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
vowed to contest the claim in court
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contested
The Tarrant County Democratic Party on Tuesday contested the ballot filings of 41 Republican judicial candidates and two state Republican House candidates in a letter to Tarrant County GOP Chair Tim Davis.
—
Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2026
To be sure, the wealth transfer will be contested between widows and charities as well as children, and not all younger Americans are likely to receive enough financial support from their parents to compete in today’s economy with many struggling to afford a home.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026
They are ferociously contested and closely fought.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 10 Jan. 2026
But that decision was contested by the council’s spokesman, Anwar al-Tamimi, who said on X that only the full council, under its president, can take such steps — highlighting the internal divisions within the separatist movement.
—Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
When power is taken from the outside, domestic institutions struggle to assert authority, legitimacy is contested and responsibility diffuses just when clarity is needed.
—Cristina Guevara, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
This loss was their 32nd game in all competitions this season, and was contested with a threadbare squad.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
An off-balance, contested 3-pointer from junior forward Andrew Meadow that bounced off the rim and into the hands of an Aztec at the end of triple overtime will be the defining memory for Boise State (9-5, 1-2 Mountain West) in a 110-107 loss to San Diego State (9-4, 3-0).
—Idaho Statesman, 4 Jan. 2026
The contest featured six lead changes and three ties and was closely contested throughout, despite the Trojans never leading by more than a point all night.
—Michael Harley, Arkansas Online, 4 Jan. 2026
Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2026
To be sure, the wealth transfer will be contested between widows and charities as well as children, and not all younger Americans are likely to receive enough financial support from their parents to compete in today’s economy with many struggling to afford a home.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026
They are ferociously contested and closely fought.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 10 Jan. 2026
But that decision was contested by the council’s spokesman, Anwar al-Tamimi, who said on X that only the full council, under its president, can take such steps — highlighting the internal divisions within the separatist movement.
—Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
When power is taken from the outside, domestic institutions struggle to assert authority, legitimacy is contested and responsibility diffuses just when clarity is needed.
—Cristina Guevara, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
This loss was their 32nd game in all competitions this season, and was contested with a threadbare squad.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
An off-balance, contested 3-pointer from junior forward Andrew Meadow that bounced off the rim and into the hands of an Aztec at the end of triple overtime will be the defining memory for Boise State (9-5, 1-2 Mountain West) in a 110-107 loss to San Diego State (9-4, 3-0).
—Idaho Statesman, 4 Jan. 2026
The contest featured six lead changes and three ties and was closely contested throughout, despite the Trojans never leading by more than a point all night.
—Michael Harley, Arkansas Online, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contested
Verb
-
The Avs challenged for offsides, and the goal was taken off the board.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The 90-minute delay challenged everyone in the arena to find ways to kill time.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In the wake of the explosion, experts have questioned whether local authorities and PG&E, which has a troubled history of gas-safety incidents, took the appropriate steps to keep residents safe, including telling people to leave the area after the leak was discovered.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
16 Jan. 2026
-
One person questioned the need for an eight-story building, which will be the tallest in downtown Oceanside.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Federal officials said Good attempted to drive her vehicle toward agents during the encounter, a claim disputed by family members and some local leaders.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Whether this was a genuinely threatening gesture or the sort of panhandling that straphangers (as they were still called) had learned to evade or ignore is disputed.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contested.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contested. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
