contentious

adjective

con·​ten·​tious kən-ˈten(t)-shəs How to pronounce contentious (audio)
Synonyms 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
contentiously adverb
contentiousness noun

Did you know?

If everyone has a bone to pick now and then, contentious types have entire skeletons. While English has plenty of words for people prone to fighting—combative and belligerent among them—contentious implies a fondness for arguing that others find particularly tedious or wearying. Thankfully, even the most contentious cranks and crabs among us have no cause to quibble over the history of the word contentious, as its origins are very clear: contentious comes (by way of Middle French) from the Latin adjective contentiōsus, meaning “persistent, obstinate, argumentative, or quarrelsome.”

Synonyms of contentious

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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.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The first budget meeting typically serves as a curtain-raiser for a two-week sprint to eliminate as many contentious budget provisions as possible — often with one-time revenue sources that kick the fiscal can to another year. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026 Roughly two dozen countries have statutes that classify maternal infanticide as less culpable than ordinary murder; the United States recognizes no such distinction, forcing cases like Clancy’s into the contentious framework of the insanity defense. — Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 The former couple, who are in the middle of a contentious divorce, also share son Kash, 14, and twins Kaia and Kane, 12. — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026 The choice to move forward with the work is rather contentious, as legal requirements stipulate at least 14 days’ notice in a legal filing prior to beginning construction. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contentious

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contenciose "quarrelsome," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French contencieux "subject to disagreement," borrowed from Latin contentiōsus "persistent, obstinate, argumentative, quarrelsome," from contentiō "exertion, competition, contention" + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of contentious was in the 15th century

Rhymes for contentious

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contentional
contentious
contentious jurisdiction
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Cite this Entry

“Contentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contentious. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

contentious

adjective
con·​ten·​tious kən-ˈten-chəs How to pronounce contentious (audio)
: inclined to argue
contentiousness noun
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