con·ten·tion

(kən-tĕn′shən)

1. The act or an instance of striving in controversy or debate: "Amid all the hand-wringing and contention about whether what the bees do is really 'language,' no one seems to question whether it's really 'dance'" (Marlene Zuk). See Synonyms at conflict.

a. A striving to win in competition; rivalry: The teams met in fierce contention for first place.

b. A condition in which winning a competition is possible: Six teams are in contention to win the gold medal.

3. An assertion put forward in argument: It is my contention that they are lying.

[Middle English contencioun, from Old French contention, from Latin contentiō, contentiōn-, from contentus, past participle of contendere, to contend; see contend.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

contention

(kənˈtɛnʃən)

1. a struggling between opponents; competition

2. dispute in an argument (esp in the phrase bone of contention)

3. (Rhetoric) a point asserted in argument

[C14: from Latin contentiō exertion, from contendere to contend]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

con•ten•tion

(kənˈtɛn ʃən)

n.

1. a struggling together in opposition; strife; conflict.

2. a striving in rivalry; competition; contest.

3. strife in debate; dispute; controversy.

4. a point contended for or affirmed in controversy.

[1350–1400; Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Latin contentiō=conten(dere) to contend + -tiō -tion]

con•ten′tion•al, adj.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	contention - a point asserted as part of an argument assertion, asseveration, averment - a declaration that is made emphatically (as if no supporting evidence were necessary) submission - (law) a contention presented by a lawyer to a judge or jury as part of the case he is arguing
	2.	contention - a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement; "they were involved in a violent argument" contestation, controversy, disceptation, arguing, argument, disputation, tilt difference of opinion, dispute, difference, conflict - a disagreement or argument about something important; "he had a dispute with his wife"; "there were irreconcilable differences"; "the familiar conflict between Republicans and Democrats" argle-bargle, argy-bargy - a verbal dispute; a wrangling argument firestorm - an outburst of controversy; "the incident triggered a political firestorm" sparring - an argument in which the participants are trying to gain some advantage polemic - a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma) fight - an intense verbal dispute; "a violent fight over the bill is expected in the Senate"
	3.	contention - the act of competing as for profit or a prize; "the teams were in fierce contention for first place" rivalry, competition group action - action taken by a group of people contest - a struggle between rivals

contention

noun

1. assertion, claim, stand, idea, view, position, opinion, argument, belief, allegation, profession, declaration, thesis, affirmation Sufficient research evidence exists to support this contention.

2. dispute, hostility, disagreement, feuding, strife, wrangling, discord, enmity, dissension They generally tried to avoid subjects of contention between them.

in contention in competition, competing, contesting, in the running, in the hunt (informal) He was in contention for a place in the squad.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

contention

noun

1. A discussion, often heated, in which a difference of opinion is expressed:

altercation, argument, bicker, clash, controversy, debate, difficulty, disagreement, dispute, fight, polemic, quarrel, run-in, spat, squabble, tiff, word (used in plural), wrangle.

Informal: hassle, rhubarb, tangle.

2. A state of disagreement and disharmony:

3. A hypothetical controversial proposition:

contestation, thesis.

Translations

رَأي يُجادِل المَرْء في سَبيلِهنِزاع، جِدال

hádkasportvrzení

påstandstrid

Behauptung Streit

argumento discusión disensión opinión

assertion avis contestation opinion

deilastaîhæft álit

contesa convinzione litigioso pomo della discordia questione controversa

ordstrid

iddiaileri sürülen fikiritilâftartışma

主张争论论点

contention

[kənˈtenʃən] N

1. (= strife) → discusión f; (= dissent) → disensión f
teams in contention → equipos rivales

2. (= point) → opinión f, argumento m
it is our contention that → pretendemos que ..., sostenemos que ...

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

contention

[kənˈtɛnʃ^ən] n

(= disagreement) → dispute f, contestation f bone of contention

(= claim) → affirmation f, assertion f (= opinion) → avis m

(= competition) to be in contention for sth → être en compétition pour qch

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

contention

(= dispute) → Streit m; contentions → Streitigkeiten pl; the matter in contention → die strittige Angelegenheit; that is no longer in contention → das steht nicht mehr zur Debatte

(= argument) → Behauptung f; it is my contention that … → ich behaupte, dass …

(in contest) to be in contention (for something) → Chancen (→ auf etw (acc)) → haben

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

contention

[kənˈtɛnʃ/ən] n (strife) → contesa, disputa (frm) (assertion) → tesi f inv
bone of contention → pomo della discordia

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

contend

(kənˈtend) verb

1. (usually with with) to struggle against.

2. (with that) to say or maintain (that).

conˈtender noun

a person who has entered a competition (for a title etc).

conˈtention noun

1. an opinion put forward.

2. argument; disagreement.

conˈtentious (-ʃəs) adjective

quarrelsome.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

THE SWALLOW and the Crow had a contention about their plumage.

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"That is all very true," said the Adversary, "but you taught by example that a verb should not agree with its subject in person and number, whereas the Good Book says that contention is worse than a dinner of herbs.

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The competitions of commerce would be another fruitful source of contention. The States less favorably circumstanced would be desirous of escaping from the disadvantages of local situation, and of sharing in the advantages of their more fortunate neighbors.

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For there is reason to think that if a city were composed entirely of good men, then to avoid office would be as much an object of contention as to obtain office is at present; then we should have plain proof that the true ruler is not meant by nature to regard his own interest, but that of his subjects; and every one who knew this would choose rather to receive a benefit from another than to have the trouble of conferring one.

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In this contention, nature may seem to some to have come off victorious, as she bestowed on him many gifts, while fortune had only one gift in her power; but in pouring forth this, she was so very profuse, that others perhaps may think this single endowment to have been more than equivalent to all the various blessings which he enjoyed from nature.

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By this time the cries had ceased; but, as the party rushed up the first flight of stairs, two or more rough voices in angry contention were distinguished and seemed to proceed from the upper part of the house.

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The justice of her contention came abruptly home to Sheldon.

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His contention is that racing, without time allowances for anything else but tonnage - that is, for size - has fostered the fine art of sailing to the pitch of perfection.

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It goes to prove my contention that art should never be anything else.

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And this solution was in favor of Alexey Alexandrovitch's contention. But Stremov, who had felt stung to the quick at the last sitting, had, on the reception of the commission's report, resorted to tactics which Alexey Alexandrovitch had not anticipated.

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Here you would see a parcel of children frolicking together the live-long day, and no quarrelling, no contention, among them.

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The contention came, after all, to this; - the secret was such an old one now, had so grown into me and become a part of myself, that I could not tear it away.

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