CONTENTIONS Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

contentions

noun

plural of contention

as in arguments

an idea or opinion that is put forth in a discussion or debate my contention is that today's lower batting averages are the result of better pitching

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in rivalries

an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another several actresses seem to be in heated contention for the title of "worst dressed"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 contentions Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter, whose tenure brought team success and three World Series contentions, now faces significant scrutiny over his business practices. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 At the time, Sackler offered no response to these contentions. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026 The main contentions were the state not fully funding public schools according to the state’s funding formula and an additional $10 million to support the Missouri Scholars Program, which can go toward students in private schools. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026 The passing of time is the only thing that will reveal the veracity of their contentions and what some of the underlying numbers suggest regarding the quality of their at-bats not being reflected in their production. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026 An administration official would make a claim about what happened, and later evidence would find these contentions to be misleading. — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contentions

Noun

That argument, however, did not go far with Hall, nor did his other arguments.

— Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Similarly, Sweeney was unpersuaded by NCAA legal arguments that, as a private, membership association, it is owed deference in making business judgments before findings of antitrust liability.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of arguments

Noun

Louder Than Fear, directed by Justin Krook and Michael Dwyer, documents the star’s journey to fame and his personal battles, including the aftermath of his 2008 private plane crash.

— Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
The eviction process was protracted and followed a series of complex legal battles led by residents of the encampment, who organized as a collective to advocate for their rights.

— Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of battles

Noun

Microsoft is already deploying autonomous threat-detection capabilities capable of continuously investigating incidents, developing hypotheses, gathering supporting evidence and identifying malicious activity that traditional processes can miss.

— Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
The World Health Organization’s independent scientific advisory group reported in 2025 that much of the information needed to fully evaluate the competing hypotheses had not been provided by China.

— Art Jipson, The Conversation, 30 July 2026

Definition of hypotheses

Noun

After the slayings, Nick’s struggles with mental health and drug addiction made headlines.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2026
That credibility often transfers to the guest, creating an authentic form of brand exposure that traditional advertising struggles to replicate.

— Julio Cesar Gomez, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of struggles

Noun

The annual Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic will kick off sooner than usual to accommodate booking conflicts with Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

— Jack Leo, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Additional conflicts may arise in jurisdictions that prohibit cash customers from paying more than customers using other payment methods, a rule symmetric rounding can violate when a cash total rounds up.

— Brian Delp, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of conflicts

Noun

Those confrontations with federal officers ultimately turned deadly when Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot by federal agents just weeks apart.

— Clay Masters, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026
The race has been shaped by the killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, confrontations that were caught on camera and fueled a backlash to Trump’s immigration policies.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of confrontations

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contention

contentions

contentious

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“Contentions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contentions. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of contentions

noun

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