Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The act or an instance of striving in controversy or debate. synonym: conflict.
  • noun A striving to win in competition; rivalry.
  • noun An assertion put forward in argument.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A violent effort to obtain something, or to resist physical force, whether an assault or bodily opposition; physical contest; struggle; strife.
  • noun Strife in words or debate; wrangling; angry contest; quarrel; controversy; litigation.
  • noun Strife or endeavor to excel; competition; emulation.
  • noun Effort; struggle; vehement endeavor.
  • noun That which is affirmed or contended for; an argument or a statement in support of a point or proposition; a main point in controversy.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A violent effort or struggle to obtain, or to resist, something; contest; strife.
  • noun Strife in words; controversy; altercation; quarrel; dispute.
  • noun Vehemence of endeavor; eagerness; ardor; zeal.
  • noun A point maintained in an argument, or a line of argument taken in its support; the subject matter of discussion or strife; a position taken or contended for.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun struggle, contest, strife, argument, debate
  • noun A point maintained in an argument, or a line of argument taken in its support; the subject matter of discussion of strife; a position taken or contended for.
  • noun computing, telecommunications Competition by parts of a system or its users for a limited resource.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a point asserted as part of an argument
  • noun a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement
  • noun the act of competing as for profit or a prize

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English contencioun, from Old French contention, from Latin contentiō, contentiōn-, from contentus, past participle of contendere, to contend; see contend.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English contencion, from Old French contencion, from Latin contentio, from contendere, past participle contentus ("to contend"); see contend.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word contention.

Examples

  • Main contention is that ‘Art’: its creation and appreciation, are innate; that these activities are universally human, that they developed as part of a survival mechanism.

    Storytelling as low risk experience…key to Survival 2009

  • Main contention is that ‘Art’: its creation and appreciation, are innate; that these activities are universally human, that they developed as part of a survival mechanism.

    2009 February 06 | NIGEL BEALE NOTA BENE BOOKS 2009

  • Parker's main contention is that guest workers and illegal immigrants constitute distinct market segments, rather than close substitutes.

    Immigrant Labor Market Issues, Arnold Kling | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty 2009

  • It's not yet clear what the site will be called, but one name in contention is Shine.

    Internet News: Yahoo Wants Women to Shine 2008

  • From Quirin: "Petitioners 'main contention is that the President is without any statutory or constitutional authority to order the petitioners to be tried by military tribunal for offenses with which they are charged; that in consequence they are entitled to be tried in the civil courts with the safeguards, including trial by jury, which the Fifth and Sixth Amendments guarantee to all persons charged in such courts with criminal offenses."

    Balkinization 2006

  • From Quirin: "Petitioners 'main contention is that the President is without any statutory or constitutional authority to order the petitioners to be tried by military tribunal for offenses with which they are charged; that in consequence they are entitled to be tried in the civil courts with the safeguards, including trial by jury, which the Fifth and Sixth Amendments guarantee to all persons charged in such courts with criminal offenses."

    Balkinization 2006

  • From Quirin: "Petitioners 'main contention is that the President is without any statutory or constitutional authority to order the petitioners to be tried by military tribunal for offenses with which they are charged; that in consequence they are entitled to be tried in the civil courts with the safeguards, including trial by jury, which the Fifth and Sixth Amendments guarantee to all persons charged in such courts with criminal offenses."

    Balkinization 2006

  • From Quirin: "Petitioners 'main contention is that the President is without any statutory or constitutional authority to order the petitioners to be tried by military tribunal for offenses with which they are charged; that in consequence they are entitled to be tried in the civil courts with the safeguards, including trial by jury, which the Fifth and Sixth Amendments guarantee to all persons charged in such courts with criminal offenses."

    Balkinization 2006

  • From Quirin: "Petitioners 'main contention is that the President is without any statutory or constitutional authority to order the petitioners to be tried by military tribunal for offenses with which they are charged; that in consequence they are entitled to be tried in the civil courts with the safeguards, including trial by jury, which the Fifth and Sixth Amendments guarantee to all persons charged in such courts with criminal offenses."

    Balkinization 2006

  • From Quirin: "Petitioners 'main contention is that the President is without any statutory or constitutional authority to order the petitioners to be tried by military tribunal for offenses with which they are charged; that in consequence they are entitled to be tried in the civil courts with the safeguards, including trial by jury, which the Fifth and Sixth Amendments guarantee to all persons charged in such courts with criminal offenses."

    Balkinization 2006

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.