contend

Meaning

1. To be in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
2. To struggle or exert oneself to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
3. To be in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.
4. To believe (something is reasonable) and argue (for it); to advocate.
5. contend with: To try to cope with a difficulty or problem.

Synonyms

compete

fight

struggle

vie

dispute

contest

argue

strive

maintain

battle

debate

combat

assert

quarrel

claim

wrestle

allege

rival

fence

make out

postulate

get by

grapple

profess

deal

cope

grab

challenge

declare

purport

war

oppose

race

repugn

conflict

usurp

manage

make do

aver

seize

bicker

plead

quash

repress

resist

second

2nd

shore

snatch

sponsor

stand by

stand up for

state

stickle

support

sustain

swear

tourney

tussle

underpin

uphold

wage war

willing

wrangle

at variance

be unwilling

compete for

contend with

fight against

fight for

make war on

polemicize

pretend to

scramble for

polemicise

vie with

argue against

counterpurpose

wrest something from someone

make an allegation

act inimically

become hostile towards

back

🔙

oppose oneself

advocate

affirm

altercate

announce

antagonize

argument

attest

avouch

avow

bandy

bargain

bear up

beat

befriend

bid

bolster

bustle

charge

clash

collide

compete with

confirm

contention

controversy

countenance

deal with

discuss

flight

✈️

get along

haggle

impeach

impugn

insist

militate

oppugn

patronize

predicate

pretend

proclaim

pronounce

prop

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kənˈtɛnd/

Etymology

From Middle English contenden, borrowed from Old French contendre, from Latin contendere (“to stretch out, extend, strive after, contend”), from com- (“together”) + tendere (“to stretch”); see tend, and compare attend, extend, intend, subtend.