1
as in to address
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
a multitude of problems to contend with as soon as he returned to the office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to oppose
to strive to reduce or eliminate
medical missionaries who daily contend with disease and poverty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contend (with)
Verb
-
And the agency didn’t track whether or not a caller’s problem was addressed.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026 -
State Farm spokesman Sevag Sarkissian said the department’s brief only addressed a legal argument seeking dismissal of the lawsuit.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
That means cutting federal regulations driving up housing costs, lowering the tax burden on working families, opposing any new gas or vehicle mileage taxes and cutting reckless spending that drives inflation.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
The Moon in Capricorn moves through your 10th House of Career, opposing Jupiter in your 4th, highlighting that tension.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The casting has always managed to feel diverse, but in a guileless, incidental way, giving the appearance of multicultural inclusion without espousing any explicitly progressive viewpoints.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The Bruins managed to keep it tight through the end of the first, with the Sabres taking that 1-0 lead into the first intermission.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At that point, the White House needs approval from the legislative branch to continue fighting, according to the War Powers Resolution, a law aimed at reasserting Congress’ constitutional role of declaring war.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
2 May 2026
-
Dyson Daniels and Mitchell Robinson were ejected after fighting following a pair of free throws from Anunoby that gave the Knicks a 50-point lead in the second quarter.—
Maura Carey,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
As Mars meets resistance from Jupiter, trying to handle everything at once backfires.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
-
This lightweight nylon bag features handles long enough to sit comfortably on your shoulder, a handy exterior pocket, and a top zipper closure to keep all of your belongings secure.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
Several speakers pointed to a growing body of research showing that minor stops disproportionately affect Black and brown motorists and do little to combat violent crime while eroding public trust.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
This can combat product buildup and grease.—
Aimee Simeon,
Glamour,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, college and professional athletes have also been caught trying to manipulate prediction markets as online sports betting has exploded.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
-
For decades, people have used tools such as Photoshop to manipulate digital imagery.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Connecticut State Police arrived at the scene and took control of the incident investigation.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
5 May 2026
-
The high-profile event raises money for the Met’s Costume Institute, and each year the dress code for the gala takes cues from the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition.—
Beatrice Dupuy,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Contend (with).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contend%20%28with%29. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
