Meaning & use
point of contention
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
A particular matter that people cannot agree on and keep arguing about.
Grammar: Works as a countable noun phrase: one point of contention, several points of contention.
Patterns
- a point of contention between people
- a point of contention in something
The budget remained the main point of contention between the two parties.
Parking has been a point of contention among the neighbors for years.
One point of contention in the talks was who would pay for repairs.
Word forms
| plural | points of contention |
|---|
Common combinations
- major point of contention
- Pay was the major point of contention in the strike.
- remain a point of contention
- The border continues to remain a point of contention.
- point of contention between
- Money is a point of contention between the two brothers.
- become a point of contention
- The new rules quickly became a point of contention.
- a long-standing point of contention
- Water rights are a long-standing point of contention in the region.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bone of contention
- Bone of contention is a more idiomatic and slightly more vivid way of saying the same thing, often for something both sides want.
- sticking point
- A sticking point is an issue that blocks progress toward an agreement, so it focuses on the obstacle rather than the dispute.
- issue
- Issue is a general word for any topic and does not necessarily involve disagreement.
- disputed matter
- Disputed matter is more legal and flat in tone, with less sense of ongoing quarrel.
Opposites
Word family
- contention noun
- heated disagreement, or a claim that someone argues for
- contend verb
- to compete, or to argue that something is true
- contentious adjective
- likely to cause argument
- contentiously adverb
- in a way that causes dispute
Commonly confused: point of contention or contention?
point of contention vs contention
Contention alone can mean disagreement or a claim, but a point of contention names the specific issue being argued over.
Practice
The two neighbors disagreed about the fence, which became a ___ between them.
Choose one answer.
A point of contention is the specific issue people argue over. A point of view is an opinion, a point of order is a procedural matter in meetings, and a point of departure is a starting place.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “point of contention”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.