1
2
as in to argue
to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration
contended that the senator's considerable experience made him the best candidate
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to insist
to state as a fact usually forcefully
contended that his opponent was wrong about practically everything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contend
There are a couple of obvious candidates on contending Canadian teams — Matias Maccelli in Toronto, or Andrew Mangiapane in Edmonton — worth considering, but there are other possibilities beyond them.
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Thomas Drance, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
The Democrats contended in the lawsuit that the denial violated laws allowing access by legislators to correctional institutions.
—CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
Disney, Dish contends, uses carriage agreements to stipulate that the licensing of popular ESPN networks requires distributing less desirable content.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Uthmeier’s office and the business groups contend the proposal is misleading because of an issue about where smoking and vaping marijuana would be barred.
—Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contend
Verb
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Much of the movie's story revolves around Marty's chaotic efforts to make enough money to travel to Japan and compete in a tournament there.—
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The Associated Press reported that the grim discovery underscores the tactics used by criminal groups competing for control of territory and trafficking routes, especially along the country’s coastline.—
Verb
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The conviction was later vacated in 2016, after a new legal team argued that Max’s original trial lawyer had a conflict of interest in the case.—
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Schumer on Saturday persisted in arguing that Republicans should accept a one-year extension of the subsidies before negotiating the future of the tax credits.—
Verb
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Schnapp also spoke to PEOPLE about the series ending, insisting that all loose ends had been tied — even his character’s longstanding crush on his best friend Mike (Wolfhard).—
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Trump highlighted the fight over health coverage, reiterating his opposition to extending those subsidies and insisting to his party’s lawmakers that his stance would be embraced by voters.—
Verb
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The company also announced a partnership with Google DeepMind to integrate Gemini Robotics AI, enabling Atlas to reason through complex instructions and operate in unstructured environments.—
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However, a court would likely reason that so long as the athlete had the chance to hire an attorney to review the contract and explain its terms, a school would not be in the wrong.—
Verb
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This person alleged that Turness was blocked from doing so by Shah, the BBC’s chairman.—
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Clase’s involvement in the scheme is alleged to have started in 2023.—
Verb
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Police, prosecutors and the family of Gastonia homicide victim John Luke Moore gathered at police headquarters Wednesday to plead with the public for information in the 2021 case.—
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The Department of Justice said Steven Anthony Cowles, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.—
Verb
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Cu also disputed prosecutors’ claims that the defendants caused up to $300,000 in damage.—
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At the heart of the discussion was a dispute over the legitimacy of a report that claimed Deerfield Beach would save millions of dollars by creating its own independent police and fire rescue operations.—
Verb
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To review or object to instances where our partners assert a legitimate interest in utilizing your data, please visit our vendors page.—
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China has undertaken a massive expansion of sites linked to missile production since 2020, bolstering its ability to potentially deter the US military and assert its dominance in the region, a new CNN analysis of satellite images, maps and government notices reveals.—
Cite this Entry
“Contend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contend. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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