con·ten·tious

(kən-tĕn′shəs)

adj.

1. Given to contention; quarrelsome. See Synonyms at argumentative.

2. Involving or causing contention; controversial: "a central and contentious element of the book" (Tim W. Ferguson).

con·ten′tious·ly adv.

con·ten′tious·ness n.

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.

contentious

(kənˈtɛnʃəs)

adj

1. tending to argue or quarrel

2. causing or characterized by dispute; controversial

3. (Law) law relating to a cause or legal business that is contested, esp a probate matter

conˈtentiously adv

conˈtentiousness n

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

con•ten•tious

(kənˈtɛn ʃəs)

adj.

1. tending to argument or strife; quarrelsome: a contentious crew.

2. causing, involving, or characterized by argument or controversy: contentious issues.

3. pertaining to causes between contending parties involved in litigation.

[1400–50; late Middle English < Latin]

con•ten′tious•ly, adv.

con•ten′tious•ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	contentious - inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits; "a style described as abrasive and contentious"; "a disputatious lawyer"; "a litigious and acrimonious spirit" combative, disputatious, disputative, litigious argumentative - given to or characterized by argument; "an argumentative discourse"; "argumentative to the point of being cantankerous"; "an intelligent but argumentative child"
	2.	contentious - involving or likely to cause controversy; "a central and contentious element of the book"- Tim W.Ferfuson controversial - marked by or capable of arousing controversy; "the issue of the death penalty is highly controversial"; "Rushdie's controversial book"; "a controversial decision on affirmative action"

contentious

adjective argumentative, wrangling, perverse, bickering, combative, pugnacious, quarrelsome, litigious, querulous, cavilling, disputatious, factious, captious He was a sociable if rather contentious man.

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

contentious

adjective

1. Given to arguing:

argumentative, combative, disputatious, eristic, litigious, polemic, polemical, quarrelsome, scrappy.

2. Having or showing an eagerness to fight:

bellicose, belligerent, combative, hostile, militant, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, warlike.

3. Inclined to act in a hostile way:

aggressive, belligerent, combative, hostile, militant.

Translations

مُخاصِم، مُنازِع، مُجادِل

hádavý

stridslysten

òrætugjarn

litigioso questione controversa

kavgacı

好争论的

contentious

[kənˈtenʃəs] ADJ

1. (= controversial) [issue, view, proposal] → conflictivo, muy discutido

2. (= argumentative) [person] → que le gusta discutir

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

contentious

[kənˈtɛnʃəs] adj

(= controversial) [issue] → sujet(te) à controverse, litigieux/euse; [view] → discutable

(= heated) [debate] → passionné(e)

[person] → querelleur/euse

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

contentious

adj subject, issue → strittig, umstritten; view → umstritten, kontrovers; decision, proposal, legislation → umstritten; person → streitlustig, streitsüchtig

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

contentious

[kənˈtɛnʃəs] adj → polemico/a

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

Ground the possession of which imports great advantage to either side, is contentious ground.

View in context

AN Old Man, afflicted with a family of contentious Sons, brought in a bundle of sticks and asked the young men to break it.

View in context

Add thereto contentious suits, which ought to be spewed out, as the surfeit of courts.

View in context

"Well!" said Stryver, slapping the desk with his contentious hand, opening his eyes wider, and taking a long breath, "if I understand you, Mr.

View in context

Once more Adeimantus returns with the allusion to his brother Glaucon whom he compares to the contentious State; in the next book he is again superseded, and Glaucon continues to the end.

View in context

"No, no; you'll see the letter--nothing contentious, I assure you."

View in context

The pair were speeding away into the distant gray by the time that the contentious revellers became aware of what had happened.

View in context

Women who are never bitter and resentful are often the most querulous; and if Solomon was as wise as he is reputed to be, I feel sure that when he compared a contentious woman to a continual dropping on a very rainy day, he had not a vixen in his eye--a fury with long nails, acrid and selfish.

View in context

His countenance had, perhaps for years, become so set in its contentious expression that it did not soften, even now when he was quiet.

View in context

They had to carry it on in shouts because of the moaning and roaring of the gyroscopic motor-cars that traversed the High Street, and in its nature it was contentious and private.

View in context

"We provide a bipartisan solution to the often contentious discipline issue by providing protections for children with disabilities while simplifying the rules that school districts use in discipline cases," Gregg said.

Making a special law better. (Update: education news from schools, businesses, research and government agencies)

The points of view expressed here are done so in a slightly contentious way.

Introduction