Definition

A disagreement or argument between people or groups, often involving competing claims or ideas.

Example

The two politicians were in contention over the proposed law.

Conversation

Did you hear about the debate competition next week?

Yeah, I heard it’s going to be really intense with a lot of contention.

I wonder what topics they will choose, it could get heated!

For sure! It’s always interesting to see where the contention comes from.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Contention is formed from "con-" (meaning together) and "tendere" (meaning to stretch). The word describes a situation where people are stretching their arguments or positions against each other, leading to disagreement or conflict.

Memory Tip

Think of people 'together' ('con-') 'stretching' their arguments ('tendere') against one another, which helps you remember that contention refers to disagreement or conflict.

Visually Confused Words