Contending — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /kən-ˈtend/ con·tend

Meaning & Definition of Contending

Contending (verb)

  1. to strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties, struggle
  2. to strive in debate, argue
  3. maintain, assert
  4. to deal with (something difficult or unpleasant)

Contending (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to engage in a contest

    "two traditional rivals contending for the championship"

    similar: battling, competing, facing off, fighting, racing, rivaling, vying
    related: challenging, engaging, playing, jockeying, jostling, maneuvering, going out, trying out, training, working

  2. 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"

    similar: arguing, asserting, maintaining, pleading, reasoning
    related: adducing, citing, mentioning, claiming, insisting, affirming, averring, avouching, avowing, advancing, giving, offering, proposing, submitting, advising, counseling, recommending, suggesting, urging, convincing, persuading, advocating, championing, defending, enforcing, espousing, supporting, explaining, justifying, rationalizing, considering, debating, discussing, confuting, countering, disproving, rebutting, refuting

  3. to state as a fact usually forcefully

    "contended that his opponent was wrong about practically everything"

    similar: affirming, alleging, asserting, averring, avouching, avowing, claiming, declaring, insisting, maintaining, professing, protesting, purporting, warranting, putting forth
    related: announcing, broadcasting, proclaiming, arguing, rationalizing, reasoning, confirming, justifying, vindicating, defending, persevering, supporting, upholding, reaffirming, reasserting
    opposite: denying, gainsaying
    near: abandoning, disavowing, disclaiming, disowning, negating, negativing, rejecting, repudiating, challenging, disputing, questioning, confuting, disproving, rebutting, refuting, contradicting, countering

Related Entry: Contend (verb)

Contend is a different word from Contending. The synonyms below are for contend, not for contending.

  1. to engage in a contest

    "two traditional rivals contending for the championship"

    similar: battle, compete, face off, fight, race, rival, vie
    related: challenge, engage, play, jockey, jostle, maneuver, go out, try out, train, work

  2. 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"

    similar: argue, assert, maintain, plead, reason
    related: adduce, cite, mention, claim, insist, affirm, aver, avouch, avow, advance, give, offer, propose, submit, advise, counsel, recommend, suggest, urge, convince, persuade, advocate, champion, defend, enforce, espouse, support, explain, justify, rationalize, consider, debate, discuss, confute, counter, disprove, rebut, refute

  3. to state as a fact usually forcefully

    "contended that his opponent was wrong about practically everything"

    similar: affirm, allege, assert, aver, avouch, avow, claim, declare, insist, maintain, profess, protest, purport, warrant, put forth
    related: announce, broadcast, proclaim, argue, rationalize, reason, confirm, justify, vindicate, defend, persevere, support, uphold, reaffirm, reassert
    opposite: deny, gainsay
    near: abandon, disavow, disclaim, disown, negate, negative, reject, repudiate, challenge, dispute, question, confute, disprove, rebut, refute, contradict, counter

Related Entry: Contend (with) (verb)

Contend (with) is a different word from Contending. The synonyms below are for contend (with), not for contending.

  1. to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently

    "a multitude of problems to contend with as soon as he returned to the office"

    similar: address, cope (with), field, grapple (with), hack, handle, manage, maneuver, manipulate, negotiate, play, swing, take, treat, come to grips with, have a grip on
    related: engineer, finesse, jockey, bring off, carry off, carry out, get off, pull, command, direct, guide, steer, control, micromanage, regulate, run, react (to), respond (to)
    near: botch, bungle, foozle, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), mishandle, muff, scamp

  2. to strive to reduce or eliminate

    "medical missionaries who daily contend with disease and poverty"

    similar: battle, combat, counter, fight, oppose, oppugn
    related: baffle, checkmate, foil, frustrate, resist, thwart, withstand, confront, defy, face, meet
    opposite: advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote
    near: abide, bear, endure, suffer, advocate, back, champion, endorse, support, uphold

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Contending

The most common words with a similar meaning to Contending:

battling, competing, facing off, fighting, racing, rivaling, vying, arguing, asserting, maintaining, pleading, reasoning, affirming, alleging, averring, avouching, avowing, claiming, declaring, insisting, professing, protesting, purporting, warranting, putting forth

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Contending

Words with the opposite meaning of Contending:

denying, gainsaying

Related Words for Contending

challenging, engaging, playing, jockeying, jostling, maneuvering, going out, trying out, training, working, adducing, citing, mentioning, advancing, giving, offering, proposing, submitting, advising, counseling, recommending, suggesting, urging, convincing, persuading, advocating, championing, defending, enforcing, espousing

Near Antonyms of Contending

abandoning, disavowing, disclaiming, disowning, negating, negativing, rejecting, repudiating, challenging, disputing, questioning, confuting, disproving, rebutting, refuting, contradicting, countering

Word Forms of Contending

Inflections: contended, contends, contended with, contending with, contends with

Origin & Etymology of Contending

Middle English contenden, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French contendre, going back to Latin contendere "to draw tight, strain, make an effort, strive, compete," from con- con- + tendere "to extend outward, stretch, spread out, aim (at a purpose)" tender:3

First known use: 15th centuryi

Frequently Asked Questions about Contending

What does "Contending" mean?

"Contending" means to strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties, struggle. As a verb, it is defined as: to strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties, struggle. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Contending"?

Other words for "Contending" include battling, competing, facing off, fighting, racing, rivaling, vying and arguing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Contending" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Contending"?

There are 76 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Contending". Common alternatives include battling, competing, facing off, fighting, racing, rivaling, vying, arguing, asserting and maintaining.

What is the opposite of "Contending"?

Antonyms of "Contending" include denying and gainsaying. Near antonyms include abandoning, disavowing, disclaiming and disowning.

How do you use "Contending" in a sentence?

Examples of "Contending" in a sentence: "two traditional rivals contending for the championship"; "contended that the senator's considerable experience made him the best candidate"; "contended that his opponent was wrong about practically everything".

Is "Contending" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Contending" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Contending"?

"Contending" is pronounced /kən-ˈtend/ and divided into syllables as con·tend.

What is the origin of the word "Contending"?

"Contending" comes from Middle English contenden, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French contendre, going back to Latin contendere "to draw tight, strain, make an effort, strive, compete," from con- con- + tendere "to extend outward, stretch, spread out, aim (at a purpose)" tender:3. First known use: 15th centuryi.