1
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
2
as in controversial
given to arguing
a tiresomely contentious person who likes to argue for the sake of arguing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contentious
The terminal overhaul, which was marked last year by contentious negotiations between the city and O’Hare’s two main carriers, United and American, has faced the threat of ballooning construction costs and schedule delays.
—
Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
The most contentious issue in the contract negotiations has been the union’s demand for compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and when helping passengers board.
—CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2025
Sven Botman ahead of Dan Burn may be contentious, too, but Newcastle are actually blessed with options and depth across the pitch, aside from at striker.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
The news follows a contentious back-and-forth between California Democrats and the president over redistricting.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contentious
Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
The most contentious issue in the contract negotiations has been the union’s demand for compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and when helping passengers board.
—CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2025
Sven Botman ahead of Dan Burn may be contentious, too, but Newcastle are actually blessed with options and depth across the pitch, aside from at striker.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
The news follows a contentious back-and-forth between California Democrats and the president over redistricting.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contentious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contentious
Adjective
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In addition to doing his job defensively, Garcia was aggressive in pushing up from his spot at left back and getting involved in the offensive attack.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Aug. 2025
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Justifying his aggressive actions, Trump claimed without evidence that D.C.'s crime data was falsified to downplay the severity of the issue.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Key Facts Abrego Garcia, who was born in El Salvador but lived in Maryland when the Trump administration mistakenly deported him in March, was released from federal custody Friday but still faces trial on criminal charges brought by the administration during his controversial removal.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
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Trump administration officials strutted through Union Station amid its deployment of federal law enforcement and National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., arguing the controversial action is bringing down crime.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The Palestinian militant group also abducted more than 250 hostages.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
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Now, that was never actually true, and certainly on January 6th, when a lot of the members of these militant groups went to the Capitol and attacked police officers, injuring more than 100 of them, their love for law enforcement was not genuine.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The climate for filmmakers looking to interrogate the Russian war effort remains hostile.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
31 Aug. 2025
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The president’s hostile, but at times confusing, remarks over the last several days have put the city on edge as leaders condemned the plan as unnecessary and dangerous.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Despite traveling to Washington with a coalition of European leaders, Zelensky will initially face Trump alone, joined only by Vice President JD Vance, who played a combative role in their last meeting.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Aug. 2025
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Rare archival footage, home movies and candid interviews paint a fuller, more complicated picture of the Piano Man — brilliant, driven, combative, sometimes conflicted and ultimately enduring.—
Michele Amabile Angermiller,
HollywoodReporter,
18 July 2025
Adjective
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Avi tries to comfort his grieving (read: irritable) mother by saying at least his grandmother and grandfather are together again in Heaven.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
22 Aug. 2025
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For years men have blamed divorce on menopause and said women are irritable and irrational, says Alyx Coble-Frake, founder of The Agenda, an app that helps women track their menstrual cycle to help increase productivity.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contentious. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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