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contentious

adjective
con·​ten·​tious | \ kÉ™n-ˈten(t)-shÉ™s How to pronounce contentious (audio) \

Definition of contentious

1 : likely to cause disagreement or argument a contentious issue
2 : exhibiting an often perverse and wearisome tendency to quarrels and disputes a man of a most contentious nature
Other Words from contentious Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about contentious

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Other Words from contentious

contentiously adverb
contentiousness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for contentious

belligerent, bellicose, pugnacious, quarrelsome, contentious mean having an aggressive or fighting attitude. belligerent often implies being actually at war or engaged in hostilities. belligerent nations bellicose suggests a disposition to fight. a drunk in a bellicose mood pugnacious suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat. a pugnacious gangster quarrelsome stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause. the heat made us all quarrelsome contentious implies perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling. wearied by his contentious disposition

Examples of contentious in a Sentence

In the perpetual skirmish between science and religion, biological evolution is a contentious battle ground. — Barry A. Palevitz, Skeptical Inquirer, July/August 1999 Creator Jim Davis had spent two years fine-tuning the contentious relationship between the grouchy cat, his milquetoast owner, Jon (Davis' pen-and-ink alter ego), and befuddled dog Odie—in a strip he'd thought would be called Jon. — Beth Johnson, Entertainment Weekly, 19 June 1998 Historians, admittedly a contentious lot, have failed even to agree on what to call King Philip's War. — Jill Lepore, The Name of War, 1998 My mental attitude when drinking is both contentious and malicious, and while in this mood and state I was the author of statements which I know to be wholly unfounded. — Theodore Dreiser, The Titan, 1914 After a contentious debate, members of the committee finally voted to approve the funding. The dispute involves one of the region's most contentious leaders.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 In addition, the bill would earmark federal funds to help states get the new gear in place by 2020—a more contentious component. — Robert Hackett, Fortune, "Only One Republican Supported That Divisive Election Security Bill. Here’s Why He Voted in Favor—Cyber Saturday," 17 Aug. 2019 But Booker and cannabis advocates got their money’s worth Wednesday, as marijuana reform was center stage for the debate’s more contentious moments. — Brendan Bures, chicagotribune.com, "What we learned about marijuana reform from the presidential debates," 5 Aug. 2019 Then comes another discussion that's often more contentious: how the track affects the market share of the labels involved. — Steve Knopper, Billboard, "'Everyone's Being Super Petty': Labels Battle for Credit, Market Share as A-List Collaborations Flourish," 25 July 2019 Though Mueller, a former FBI director, has vast experience at congressional hearings, his testimony Wednesday probably will be more contentious than his previous appearances on Capitol Hill. — Anchorage Daily News, "Justice Department tells Mueller to not answer wide swath of questions," 23 July 2019 The Celtics’ rivalry with the Sixers in the ‘80s was even more contentious than the more celebrated Lakers rivalry. — Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, "You can’t blame Al Horford for taking the money, but why, oh why, did it have to be the Sixers, Al?," 1 July 2019 Rutgers’ divorce from the Big East was somewhat more contentious, with the school filing a lawsuit after the league hit them with a $15 million exit fee. — Matt Murschel, orlandosentinel.com, "UConn officially moves to Big East, leaves AAC and UCF discussing the future," 27 June 2019 The debate is expected to grow more contentious in the coming years, as the number of elderly in Ohio spikes and more people move into assisted living. — John Caniglia, cleveland.com, "Rape of 95-year-old with dementia raises questions about Ohio’s assisted-living regulations for staffing, training," 23 June 2019 The former congressman and two-time presidential candidate says navigating contentious policy issues can take time as the public becomes increasingly versed in a topic and pressure rises. — Author: Julie Carr Smyth, Anchorage Daily News, "Ohio Republicans again faced with calls to enact gun reforms," 7 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'contentious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of contentious

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for contentious

see contention

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More Definitions for contentious

contentious

adjective
How to pronounce contentious (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of contentious

: likely to cause people to argue or disagree
: involving a lot of arguing
: likely or willing to argue

See the full definition for contentious in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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More from Merriam-Webster on contentious

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for contentious

Spanish Central: Translation of contentious

Nglish: Translation of contentious for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of contentious for Arabic Speakers

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