contentions

noun

plural of contention
1
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

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2
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 To the extent these independent contentions were intended to imply that NBA rules permit teams, at the request of players, to initiate off-court income opportunities for players, that implication is incorrect. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Many healthcare policy analysts disagree with these contentions about fraud, noting partisan politics have now become part of the dissemination of government reports. — Robert Applebaum, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2026 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
  1. arguments
  2. rivalries
  3. assertions
  4. battles
  5. hypotheses
  6. struggles
  7. conflicts
  8. confrontations
Noun
  • The judge issued his ruling at the conclusion of a court session Tuesday, which continued the preliminary hearing that was largely held over a week in early July before a nearly two-month recess to prepare for closing arguments.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2026
  • While the class was divided between protectionists and free-traders, the teacher gave no indication of his own views, and the textbook presented objective facts along with arguments from both sides.
    — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of arguments
Noun
  • North Dakota State’s move to the FBS has created excitement about new opponents, rivalries and possibilities.
    — Manny Navarro, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Just as their own fictions bend and weave tales, so too do their own lives and rivalries.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of rivalries
Noun
  • China is also pushing back against the Pentagon’s assertions.
    — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Across the globe, anti-gender campaigning is frequently tied to right-wing nationalism, white supremacy, and assertions of patriarchal power.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of assertions
Noun
  • The policy updates come amid the slew of ongoing legal battles by players who were originally part of the 2022 high school recruiting class seeking a fifth year of collegiate eligibility.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Then came battles with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service.
    — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of battles
Noun
  • Until then, readers should take these issues as interesting hypotheses and case discussions.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The models have to suss them out by taking actions in the game, seeing what happens, forming hypotheses, and then taking more actions to test those theories.
    — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of hypotheses
Noun
  • The criticism instead centers on the significant advantages that enormous family wealth can provide, including time, training and the freedom to pursue a creative career without the financial struggles many developing artists face.
    — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Isaiah explains that sharing their pregnancy losses and fertility struggles publicly felt like their purpose.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of struggles
Noun
  • Unfortunately, its determination to recreate its predecessor’s personal conflicts and revelations, along with its narrative twists and turns, slightly hamstrings what is otherwise an extremely effective thrill ride, especially on the big screen.
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • When Russia’s full-scale invasion breaks out, his mother and sister flee Ukraine and join him, bringing with them family conflicts and feelings of guilt that distance cannot silence.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of conflicts
Noun
  • While that figure was low, the researchers argued that even a small risk of unintended weapons use could be unacceptable in sensitive maritime confrontations.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Following the October 7 attack in Israel and subsequent Israeli military operation in Palestine, protests on universities across the country escalated into confrontations between pro-Palestine protestors and pro-Israel counterprotestors.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of confrontations

Browse Nearby Words

contention
contentions
contentious
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Cite this Entry

“Contentions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contentions. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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