CONTENTIOUS Synonyms: 169 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'contentious' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of contentious are bellicose , belligerent , pugnacious , and quarrelsome . While all these words mean "having an aggressive or fighting attitude," contentious implies perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling. // wearied by his contentious disposition

Q: When would 'bellicose' be a good substitute for 'contentious'?

The meanings of bellicose and contentious largely overlap; however, bellicose suggests a disposition to fight. // a drunk in a bellicose mood

Q: When could 'belligerent' be used to replace 'contentious'?

While the synonyms belligerent and contentious are close in meaning, belligerent often implies being actually at war or engaged in hostilities. // belligerent nations

Q: When can 'pugnacious' be used instead of 'contentious'?

In some situations, the words pugnacious and contentious are roughly equivalent. However, pugnacious suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat. // a pugnacious gangster

Q: In what contexts can 'quarrelsome' take the place of 'contentious'?

The synonyms quarrelsome and contentious are sometimes interchangeable, but quarrelsome stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause. // the heat made us all quarrelsome

contentious

adjective

kən-ˈten(t)-shəs

Definition of contentious

as in aggressive

feeling or displaying eagerness to fight the Tartars were a contentious people who terrorized much of Asia and eastern Europe during the Middle Ages

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in controversial

given to arguing a tiresomely contentious person who likes to argue for the sake of arguing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in difficult

relating to or causing the expression of opposing opinions gun control is likely to be a contentious subject in any group discussion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word contentious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of contentious are bellicose, belligerent, pugnacious, and quarrelsome. While all these words mean "having an aggressive or fighting attitude," contentious implies perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling.

wearied by his contentious disposition

When would bellicose be a good substitute for contentious?

The meanings of bellicose and contentious largely overlap; however, bellicose suggests a disposition to fight.

a drunk in a bellicose mood

When could belligerent be used to replace contentious?

While the synonyms belligerent and contentious are close in meaning, belligerent often implies being actually at war or engaged in hostilities.

belligerent nations

When can pugnacious be used instead of contentious?

In some situations, the words pugnacious and contentious are roughly equivalent. However, pugnacious suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat.

a pugnacious gangster

In what contexts can quarrelsome take the place of contentious?

The synonyms quarrelsome and contentious are sometimes interchangeable, but quarrelsome stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause.

the heat made us all quarrelsome

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 contentious Democrats who have backed El-Sayed argue that the party is largely unified and that the remaining disagreements are a natural part of moving beyond a contentious primary. — Joey Cappelletti, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 Musk, the founder of SpaceX, has become one of the most influential, and contentious, private sector figures in Ukraine’s war effort. — ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026 Musk, the founder of the aerospace company SpaceX, has become one of the most influential, and contentious, private sector figures in Ukraine’s war effort. — Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 That’s what Republican Rick Jackson said to a supporter at a recent rally, and the claim could throw gas on the flames of an already contentious election season in Georgia. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contentious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contentious

Adjective

The aggressive action will be closely watched by other states and school systems.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026
Tour participants described an aggressive interrogation by an Israeli border agent.

— Daniel Estrin, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of aggressive

Adjective

Decades later, buses helped desegregate schools, hauling Black and white children across the country’s racial divide, a controversial practice that has mostly ended.

— Jeff McMurray, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Based on true events, Jacob Tremblay plays the 16-year-old Harvard prodigy who is subjected to controversial psychological experiments by Professor Henry Murray (Russell Crowe) and his eventual transformation into the Unabomber.

— Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of controversial

Adjective

The losses linked to the demise of these groups are difficult to quantify, but participants and advocates say the impacts will reverberate across federal agencies for years.

— Katia Riddle, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
Ground surveys can provide more detailed information at a particular site, but covering an entire subway corridor that way would be difficult.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of difficult

Adjective

Abductions are common in Nigeria, where militant groups target schoolchildren and other civilians to put pressure on the government and extract ransoms.

— Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
The strikes came after Israel blamed the militant Hezbollah group for firing two explosive drones.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of militant

Adjective

Even so, the film’s gaze is more anthropological than polemical, especially given the faux-doc vibe created by its abundant handheld camerawork, seemingly filmed sometimes by the actors themselves.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026
Now, in the 1500s and 1600s, that phrase was often used by Catholics in their polemical war against Protestants.

— David Frum, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026

Definition of polemical

Adjective

Kuwait's army said its air defence systems were targeting hostile missile and drone attacks.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Some recent laws, including the Safer Skies Act of 2025, grant state and local agencies (though not private-sector entities) greater license to detect and track hostile drones.

— Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of hostile

Adjective

Since taking over in March, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has pivoted from the confrontational style of immigration enforcement of his predecessor, Kristi Noem.

— Vanessa Romo, NPR, 26 Aug. 2026
Cardi’s personality does the rest, turning every bar into an extension of the track’s confrontational energy.

— Brittney Williams, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of confrontational

Adjective

Driscoll was widely seen as less combative and positioned himself as a driving force for modernizing the Army through updating its doctrine and integrating robots, drones and other emerging technologies into the force.

— Luis Martinez, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
If Smith can’t reach that height, then the Alvarado and McConnell comparisons are more apt, and both of those two players are combative and successful defensive players.

— Tony East, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of combative

Browse Nearby Words

contentions

contentious

contentiousness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of contentious

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

apiary

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes