as in questioning
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
vowed to contest the claim in court
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Recent Examples of contesting
Participants take over city streets for a carnivalesque monthly ride, contesting cars’ dominance.
—
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 5 Mar. 2026
Fox leaped for the ball, spun nearly 360 degrees and finished the play with a slam over a contesting defender.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Mar. 2026
The administration is facing more than 600 lawsuits contesting its agenda.
—Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
In recent years, legislation has swept red statehouses across the country, contesting the civil rights gains of LGBTQ+ Americans.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
Performing Under Pressure in Milan At the 2026 Games, Gu is the lone female freeskier contesting all three freestyle events.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
Paxton’s office is contesting the boundaries of the district and wants the land tied to The Meadow development removed.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
The teams responded, playing legitimate defense for extended stretches and contesting shots on their way to a thrilling finish.
—Staff Report, Oc Register, 14 Feb. 2026
With the Awami League banned from contesting, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party appears to be the frontrunner.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 11 Feb. 2026
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 5 Mar. 2026
Fox leaped for the ball, spun nearly 360 degrees and finished the play with a slam over a contesting defender.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Mar. 2026
The administration is facing more than 600 lawsuits contesting its agenda.
—Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
In recent years, legislation has swept red statehouses across the country, contesting the civil rights gains of LGBTQ+ Americans.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
Performing Under Pressure in Milan At the 2026 Games, Gu is the lone female freeskier contesting all three freestyle events.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
Paxton’s office is contesting the boundaries of the district and wants the land tied to The Meadow development removed.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
The teams responded, playing legitimate defense for extended stretches and contesting shots on their way to a thrilling finish.
—Staff Report, Oc Register, 14 Feb. 2026
With the Awami League banned from contesting, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party appears to be the frontrunner.
—Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contesting
Verb
-
The closed-door depositions showed how Republican lawmakers at times seemed not able to resist the spectacle of questioning a couple who for decades led the Democratic Party.—
Stephen Groves,
Fortune,
3 Mar. 2026
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Neighbors in Baltimore County are questioning the use of deadly force after a man, allegedly experiencing a mental health crisis, was found dead following police gunfire at his home Wednesday.—
Tara Lynch,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Artificial intelligence systems do not possess human intelligence and therefore should not be granted rights or protections reserved for people, as evidenced by the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear a case challenging the requirement that copyrightable works must have human authorship.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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The judiciary, meanwhile, has taken itself largely out of the picture, limiting the legal avenues available for challenging the president’s use of force.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Rosen said that the federal government is disputing that Riky had $100 and a nail gun on him at the time of detainment, but said that DHS will still reimburse him based on Riky's account.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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No one’s disputing the benefits of regular aerobic exercise for diabetes management.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contesting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contesting. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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