EN

Synonyms for contend

  • verb

Most common

debate contest wrangle dispute struggle strive assert fight

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Debate — to be in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue

debate, contest, wrangle, dispute, litigate, quarrel, clash, brawl, squabble

2. Struggle — to struggle or exert oneself to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend

struggle, strive, wrestle, tussle, scramble, scuffle, emulate rare

3. Assert — to believe (something is reasonable) and argue (for it); to advocate

assert, insist, claim, maintain, affirm, aver, allege

4. Vie — to be in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight

fight, vie, oppose, combat, encounter, war

Other

argue, compete, cope, grapple, make do informal, disagree, bicker, join issue UK, get by, manage, rival, deal

Antonyms

concede, agree, yield

All antonyms of contend →

Definitions

  1. v. 1

    To be in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.

  2. v. 2

    To struggle or exert oneself to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.

  3. v. 3

    To be in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.

  4. v. 4

    To believe (something is reasonable) and argue (for it); to advocate.

    In this paper the author contends that no useful results can be obtained if this method is used.

Related words

Word family
contender contention contentious
Phrases
contend with

Forms

Past participle
contended
e.g. contended → debated, contested, wrangled, disputed…

Example sentences

  • dispute Go is a game of dispute and conquest of territory.
  • quarrel The quarrel left a gulf between the two families.
  • wrangle This contract dispute turned into a legal wrangle.
  • struggle For Sami, not dwelling on the past was a struggle.
  • wrestle I think that all boys should learn how to wrestle.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
contendfalling
disputesteady
quarrelfalling
wranglesteady
litigatesteady
strugglesteady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters
war1, vie1
4 letters
deal1, cope1, aver2
5 letters
fight1, claim1, argue2, rival2, clash1, brawl1
6 letters
debate2, combat2, manage2, insist2, oppose2, strive1, assert2, affirm2, allege2, tussle2, bicker2
7 letters
contest2, compete2, dispute2, wrestle2, emulate3, quarrel2, grapple2, scuffle2, wrangle2
8 letters
maintain2, struggle2, disagree3, scramble2, squabble2, litigate3
9 letters
encounter3

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (aver2 = 2 syllables).