1
as in competing
to engage in a contest
two traditional rivals contending for the championship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in arguing
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 alleging
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 contending
As the trade deadline approaches, though, contending teams will surely be calling the Red Sox about Chapman.
—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Meanwhile, James floated the idea publicly about ending his career in Cleveland and publicly praised the LA Rams for dealing draft picks to ensure a Super Bowl-contending team.
—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Coastal Commission staff objected to city proposals to more aggressively shorten hours at many of the 35 affected lots, contending that would restrict coastal access too much.
—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 June 2026
Despite having started second and third with hopes of contending for victory, both lost ground as the race wore on; Hamilton finished fifth and Leclerc eighth.
—
Sahil Kapur,
NBC news,
28 June 2026
Critics also have challenged the report’s characterization of cases involving women, contending these were consensual affairs that were sinful but not abusive.
—
ABC News,
25 June 2026
In the special, Arcuri tackles topics like marital pranks and urinal mind games while contending, on the more serious side, with his wife Katie Thurston’s cancer journey.
—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
24 June 2026
The company hopes the effort allows for more large-scale audiobook productions to emerge, contending that AI allows for more immersive audio experiences that traditional publishers would find too expensive.
—
Corbin Bolies,
Variety,
23 June 2026
But now that the Sox are contending, and starting a big series Monday against the Cleveland Guardians at Rate Field, his in-game strategy will no doubt get more scrutiny.
—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Meanwhile, James floated the idea publicly about ending his career in Cleveland and publicly praised the LA Rams for dealing draft picks to ensure a Super Bowl-contending team.
—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Coastal Commission staff objected to city proposals to more aggressively shorten hours at many of the 35 affected lots, contending that would restrict coastal access too much.
—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 June 2026
Despite having started second and third with hopes of contending for victory, both lost ground as the race wore on; Hamilton finished fifth and Leclerc eighth.
—
Sahil Kapur,
NBC news,
28 June 2026
Critics also have challenged the report’s characterization of cases involving women, contending these were consensual affairs that were sinful but not abusive.
—
ABC News,
25 June 2026
In the special, Arcuri tackles topics like marital pranks and urinal mind games while contending, on the more serious side, with his wife Katie Thurston’s cancer journey.
—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
24 June 2026
The company hopes the effort allows for more large-scale audiobook productions to emerge, contending that AI allows for more immersive audio experiences that traditional publishers would find too expensive.
—
Corbin Bolies,
Variety,
23 June 2026
But now that the Sox are contending, and starting a big series Monday against the Cleveland Guardians at Rate Field, his in-game strategy will no doubt get more scrutiny.
—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contending
Verb
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Soft whites, grays, and chalky pastels allow the flooring to shine without competing for attention.
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The announcement of a new country competing, the first of its kind since Eurovision welcomed Australia in 2015, arrived on Wednesday, one day ahead of the country’s Canada Day holiday.
Verb
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In 2022, Kroger announced a plan to merge with rival Albertsons, arguing that a larger chain would be better able to compete against rivals.
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The Department of Justice on Thursday declined to turn over additional information from the Epstein files as ordered by a judge, arguing the materials include sensitive victim information or were appropriately redacted as required by law.
Verb
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Avila's family sued Tesla last week, alleging her death resulted from the company's gross negligence and failure to warn consumers that its self-driving systems were defective.
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Raymond said investigators traced the suspect's escape route, alleging Berezovsk fled Monaco immediately after the attack, crossed into southern France and drove to Italy.
Verb
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The second is reasoning intelligence, the layer that looks at a task, breaks it into steps and figures out how to do it, including things like making a judgement call on whether an object will be heavy or light.
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Vitello seemed to understand Devers’ reasoning for wanting to stay in the game but also knew that Devers was battling some leg soreness.
Verb
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The deadline to apply for a $50 million settlement from The Walt Disney Company, linked to a class action case claiming the company helped drive up subscription prices for streaming platforms, is approaching.
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Jackson beat out fellow finalists Roch Cholowsky (UCLA) and Landon Hairston (Arizona State), to become the second Georgia player to win the award in three seasons, with Charlie Condon claiming it in 2024.
Verb
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Kavanaugh could have limited his separate opinion to asserting that Trump’s order couldn’t override a federal law, which was all that was needed to decide the case.
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The leaders who get the most from this dimension make the connection legible in the work itself rather than asserting it from a stage.
Verb
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Latta builds it in deliberately, insisting his Rocks wines carry fruit, floral, and funk components together.
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Extremists thrive on outrage, insisting that compromise is weakness and political opponents are existential enemies.
Verb
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According to Graser, one of the victims had called from inside the burning building, pleading for help.
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In 2015, he was charged in Amador County in connection with a strip poker game at a youth camp, ultimately pleading no contest two years later to providing alcohol to a minor.
Cite this Entry
“Contending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contending. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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