contention
contention — noun
1. a state of strong disagreement between people or groups, often continuing for a
a state of strong disagreement between people or groups, often continuing for a long time
The location of the new hospital became a major point of contention among local residents.
collocation: point of contention
Lakan's decision to leave the board caused months of bitter contention within the organisation.
There is still considerable contention among historians about the true cause of the war.
The allocation of funds sparked fierce contention among the various departments.
- dispute
more active, often refers to a specific argument rather than a general state of disagreement
- conflict
broader; can include physical fighting, not just verbal disagreement
- friction
milder; suggests ongoing irritation rather than open argument
- discord
more formal and literary; emphasises lack of harmony
文法句型
be a/source/point of contention
contention about/over/between/among
用法筆記
Usually uncountable; the countable form 'contentions' is rare and mainly literary. Frequently paired with prepositions 'over', 'about', 'between', or 'among'.
常見錯誤
2. a specific opinion or statement that someone presents as true, particularly duri
a specific opinion or statement that someone presents as true, particularly during an argument in which others hold a different view
Élise's central contention is that the current education system fails to prepare students for real-world challenges.
pattern: [possessive] contention + that-clause
The professor supported his contention with data collected from over fifty countries.
collocation: support [someone's] contention
It is the defence lawyer's contention that the evidence was obtained illegally.
Nkechi rejected the contention that her company's products were unsafe.
- assertion
very close in meaning; 'assertion' emphasises confidence, while 'contention' emphasises the argumentative context
- claim
broader and less formal; can be used outside arguments
- thesis
more formal and academic; usually the main idea of a written work
- argument
refers to the reasoning used to support a point, rather than the point itself
文法句型
[possessive] + contention + that-clause
it is [possessive] contention that...
support/challenge/reject + [possessive] contention
用法筆記
This sense is always countable and most commonly appears in formal or academic contexts. The that-clause after 'contention' states the content of the opinion. Common verbs paired with this sense: 'support', 'challenge', 'reject', 'accept', 'disprove'.
3. the state of having a realistic chance of winning or achieving something, especi
the state of having a realistic chance of winning or achieving something, especially in a competition or contest — used almost exclusively in the prepositional phrases 'in contention' and 'out of contention'
After six consecutive wins, Salma is still in contention for the national title.
pattern: in contention for + prize/position
A poor performance in the semi-final put the team out of contention for the championship.
pattern: out of contention for + prize/position
Three candidates remain in contention for the position of chief executive.
Despite her recent injury, the runner remains in contention for a spot on the team.
- competition
standard standalone noun; 'contention' in this sense is more restricted to fixed phrases
文法句型
in contention [for something]
out of contention [for something]
用法筆記
This sense exists only within the fixed phrases 'in contention' (having a chance) and 'out of contention' (no longer having a chance). It cannot be used freely like a regular noun — you cannot say 'the contention was strong' to mean competition. The preposition 'for' introduces the prize, title, or position being competed for.