Meaning & use
contend
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Meanings
verbtransitiveformal
To state firmly that something is true, especially when others might disagree.
Grammar: Usually followed by a that clause: she contends that the report is wrong.
Patterns
- contend that something
- contend something
The lawyer contends that her client was not at the scene.
Some experts contend that the price is too high.
He has always contended that the rules are unfair.
verbintransitiveformal
To have to deal with a difficulty or problem.
Grammar: Followed by with: contend with heavy traffic.
Patterns
- contend with something
Farmers must contend with unpredictable weather.
Small shops contend with online competition.
She had to contend with a broken leg during the trip.
verbintransitiveformal
To compete against others in order to win something.
Grammar: Often followed by for or against: contend for the title.
Patterns
- contend for something
- contend against someone
Six teams are contending for the championship.
He contended against three rivals for the job.
Several young players are contending for a place in the squad.
Word forms
| third person singular | contends |
|---|---|
| past tense | contended |
| past participle | contended |
| -ing form | contending |
Common combinations
- contend that
- Critics contend that the plan will fail.
- contend with
- Drivers must contend with ice on the roads.
- contend for the title
- Two clubs will contend for the title.
- strongly contend
- The author strongly contends that history repeats itself.
- contend against
- The athlete has to contend against stronger opponents.
Synonyms and how they differ
- claim
- Claim is the everyday word for saying something is true, and it often suggests the statement may be doubted.
- argue
- Argue is more general and can mean quarreling, while contend sounds more formal and reasoned.
- compete
- Compete is the plain word for trying to win, while contend adds a sense of struggle.
- cope
- Cope with means to manage a difficulty, whereas contend with stresses facing the difficulty itself.
Opposites
Word family
- contender noun
- a person who competes for a prize
- contention noun
- an opinion, or a disagreement
- contentious adjective
- likely to cause argument
- contentiously adverb
- in an argumentative way
Commonly confused: contend or content? contend or contest?
contend vs content
Content as an adjective means satisfied, and content as a noun means what is inside something; neither means argue or compete.
contend vs contest
Contest as a verb means to challenge a result formally, which is narrower than contend.
Practice
Farmers in the region must ______ with long periods without rain.
Choose one answer.
Contend with means to deal with a difficulty; compete and contest take different prepositions, and attend does not work with with here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “contend”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.