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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 When pressed about contentious policy debates, such as tariffs, Mr. Bessent tried to offer perspective to show that the fallout would not be as bad as critics fear. Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025 Last week, the company scrapped its U.S. fact-checking program and reduced curbs on discussions around contentious topics such as immigration and gender identity, bowing to conservative pushback ahead of Republican Donald Trump's return to the U.S. presidency. Jaspreet Singh, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025 The meeting became chaotic and contentious, with JPs interrupting and talking over one another. Eplunus Colvin, arkansasonline.com, 16 Jan. 2025 Maya Goldman Jan 9, 2025 - Health How Trump could upend a plan to police lab tests The Biden administration's contentious plan to increase federal regulation of diagnostic medical tests could be swiftly dialed back after President-elect Trump is sworn in. Tina Reed, Axios, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for contentious 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contentious
Adjective
  • With how aggressive Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has been on fourth down, Fangio has to treat third down like second down.
    Ted Nguyen, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
  • So far, investors have been relieved President Donald Trump has backed away from aggressive, across-the-board tariffs during his first days in office.
    Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Several House and Senate Democrats supported the passage of the Laken Riley Act despite the bill’s controversial measures.
    Stuart Anderson, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
  • Less controversial are interventions tailored to communities.
    Amy Maxmen | KFF Health News, ABC News, 18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • In any case, the militant Islamist group is no longer the same organization that launched the October 7, 2023, massacre.
    Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2025
  • Palestinian statehood remains very difficult question for Israel to answer, pushed further away by the October 7 attacks and 15 months of brutal war in Gaza against Palestinian militant group Hamas.
    Ellie Cook, Newsweek, 19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Instead, she was hounded out of the classroom by authorities hostile to Western literature.
    Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2025
  • Last year, Trump's predecessor Joe Biden fired the inspector general of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, after an investigation found the official had created a hostile work environment.
    Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Shortly after the beatdown, video footage leaked online showing the combative artist lying on the ground while being jabbed and stomped.
    Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Some warnings have cited Trump’s authoritarian rhetoric, willingness to undermine or malign institutions meant to constrain any president, and a combative style that strives to stretch executive power as far as possible.
    Victor Menaldo, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • By the end, Liverpool’s players seemed tired and Klopp was irritable, clearly in need of a rest.
    Simon Hughes, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
  • The trio’s sixth record is charmingly irritable in both of its moods: hopped up on fluffy coffee while cracking baseball jokes, or dragging out downbeats and lamenting power structures to goad listeners with mounting anticipation.
    Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2024

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Thesaurus Entries Near contentious

Cite this Entry

“Contentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contentious. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

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