First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
contentious
adjective con·ten·tious \kən-ˈten(t)-shəs\
: likely to cause people to argue or disagree
: involving a lot of arguing
: likely or willing to argue
Full Definition of CONTENTIOUS
1
: likely to cause disagreement or argument <a contentious issue>
2
: exhibiting an often perverse and wearisome tendency to quarrels and disputes <a man of a most contentious nature>
— con·ten·tious·ly adverb
— con·ten·tious·ness noun
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Examples of CONTENTIOUS
- In the perpetual skirmish between science and religion, biological evolution is a contentious battle ground. —Barry A. Palevitz, Skeptical Inquirer, July/August 1999
- Creator Jim Davis had spent two years fine-tuning the contentious relationship between the grouchy cat, his milquetoast owner, Jon (Davis' pen-and-ink alter ego), and befuddled dog Odie—in a strip he'd thought would be called Jon. —Beth Johnson, Entertainment Weekly, 19 June 1998
- Historians, admittedly a contentious lot, have failed even to agree on what to call King Philip's War. —Jill Lepore, The Name of War, 1998
- My mental attitude when drinking is both contentious and malicious, and while in this mood and state I was the author of statements which I know to be wholly unfounded. —Theodore Dreiser, The Titan, 1914
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Origin of CONTENTIOUS
(see contention)
Related to CONTENTIOUS
- Synonyms
- aggressive, agonistic, argumentative, assaultive, bellicose, brawly, chippy, combative, confrontational, belligerent, discordant, disputatious, feisty, gladiatorial, militant, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, warlike
- Antonyms
- nonaggressive, nonbelligerent, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, unbelligerent, uncombative, uncontentious
Synonym Discussion of CONTENTIOUS
belligerent, bellicose, pugnacious, quarrelsome, contentious mean having an aggressive or fighting attitude. belligerent often implies being actually at war or engaged in hostilities <belligerent nations>. bellicose suggests a disposition to fight <a drunk in a bellicose mood>. pugnacious suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat <a pugnacious gangster>. quarrelsome stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause <the heat made us all quarrelsome>. contentious implies perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling <wearied by his contentious disposition>.
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