Contentious
adjective
Causing or likely to cause an argument or disagreement.
Climate change is a contentious issue.
Often appears as...
- contentious issue
- contentious debate
adjective
Involving a lot of arguing, especially in public.
The proposal is likely to be contentious.
Often appears as...
- contentious argument
- contentious discussion
adjective
Likely to cause disagreement between people.
The contentious part of the law has provoked considerable debate.
Often appears as...
- contentious law
- contentious clause
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
adjective
Causing or likely to cause an argument or disagreement.
Climate change is a contentious issue.
Often appears as...
- contentious issue
- contentious debate
adjective
Involving a lot of arguing, especially in public.
The proposal is likely to be contentious.
Often appears as...
- contentious argument
- contentious discussion
adjective
Likely to cause disagreement between people.
The contentious part of the law has provoked considerable debate.
Often appears as...
- contentious law
- contentious clause
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Charged
Words like 'contentious' suggest strong emotions and can intensify discussions.
Abortion is a deeply contentious issue that sparks passionate debates.
Pro Tip 2/3Topic Sensitivity
'Contentious' often labels topics sensitive or uncomfortable in society or social groups.
Gender roles can be a contentious topic in many communities.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid in Agreement
Avoid using 'contentious' when describing harmonious or unanimously agreed matters.
The benefits of education were not contentious among the participants.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Charged
Words like 'contentious' suggest strong emotions and can intensify discussions.
Abortion is a deeply contentious issue that sparks passionate debates.
Pro Tip 2/3Topic Sensitivity
'Contentious' often labels topics sensitive or uncomfortable in society or social groups.
Gender roles can be a contentious topic in many communities.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid in Agreement
Avoid using 'contentious' when describing harmonious or unanimously agreed matters.
The benefits of education were not contentious among the participants.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotionally Charged
Words like 'contentious' suggest strong emotions and can intensify discussions.
Abortion is a deeply contentious issue that sparks passionate debates.
Pro Tip 2/3Topic Sensitivity
'Contentious' often labels topics sensitive or uncomfortable in society or social groups.
Gender roles can be a contentious topic in many communities.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid in Agreement
Avoid using 'contentious' when describing harmonious or unanimously agreed matters.
The benefits of education were not contentious among the participants.
Compare with
argumentumcombativecontroversialdebatedisagreeabledisputabledisputepolemicalquarrelsome
Never forget "Contentious"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
Grand Canyon Adventure:...
that it would flow down right into their water source, their life. I spent time with the uranium miners, all guys trying to hang on and do their job best, they're doing everything legally, it's a contentious area, a lot of people are against uranium mining, the challenge here is nobody has the money
Video examples
Jimmy Wales: How a...
What I actually said is they're not contentious at all. So it's a slight misquote. The articles were edited quite heavily. And it is true that we did have to lock the articles on a couple of occasions. Time magazine recently reported that "Extreme action sometimes has to be taken,
Video examples
What Wikipedia Teaches...
not only does Wikipedia's model work there, it actually works really well. Because in our normal lives, these contentious conversations tend to erupt over a disagreement about what the truth actually is. But the people who write these articles, they're not focused on the truth.
Video examples
Kwame Anthony Appiah: Is...
and therefore crude and contentious. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with it, but here's my story, and true or not, it's a story that I think gives you a good sense of how the list might have come about, and therefore helps you to think about what use the list might be.
Video examples
Jonathan Haidt:...
a great number of courageous, sympathetic and faithful members who are always ready to aid and defend each other, this tribe would succeed better and conquer the other." He went on to say that "Selfish and contentious people will not cohere, and without coherence
Video examples
How to put the power of...
our community came together around the world to argue that access to justice and legal empowerment should be a part of that new framework. And there was a lot of resistance. Those things are more political, more contentious than the other ones,
Video examples
How art gives shape to...
course of the exhibition which was contentious controversial and ultimately for me life-changing in my sense of what art could be a woman came up to me on the gallery floor to express her concern about the nature of how powerful images
Video examples
Why political...
for a minority of senators just 41 senators to prevent the Senate from passing anything now this again is going to be a very very difficult contentious process but there is talk in Washington of changing this rule so you no longer
Video examples
Let's put birth control...
I think, as we go through this history, it's important to pause for a moment and to remember why this has become such a contentious issue. It's because some family planning programs
Video examples
Liz Coleman's call to...
exhibited in such abundance here, needs to turn its attention to that collaborative, messy, frustrating, contentious and impossible world of politics and public policy.
Video examples
Grand Canyon Adventure:...
that it would flow down right into their water source, their life. I spent time with the uranium miners, all guys trying to hang on and do their job best, they're doing everything legally, it's a contentious area, a lot of people are against uranium mining, the challenge here is nobody has the money
Video examples
Jimmy Wales: How a...
What I actually said is they're not contentious at all. So it's a slight misquote. The articles were edited quite heavily. And it is true that we did have to lock the articles on a couple of occasions. Time magazine recently reported that "Extreme action sometimes has to be taken,
Video examples
What Wikipedia Teaches...
not only does Wikipedia's model work there, it actually works really well. Because in our normal lives, these contentious conversations tend to erupt over a disagreement about what the truth actually is. But the people who write these articles, they're not focused on the truth.
Video examples
Kwame Anthony Appiah: Is...
and therefore crude and contentious. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with it, but here's my story, and true or not, it's a story that I think gives you a good sense of how the list might have come about, and therefore helps you to think about what use the list might be.
Video examples
Jonathan Haidt:...
a great number of courageous, sympathetic and faithful members who are always ready to aid and defend each other, this tribe would succeed better and conquer the other." He went on to say that "Selfish and contentious people will not cohere, and without coherence
Video examples
How to put the power of...
our community came together around the world to argue that access to justice and legal empowerment should be a part of that new framework. And there was a lot of resistance. Those things are more political, more contentious than the other ones,
Video examples
How art gives shape to...
course of the exhibition which was contentious controversial and ultimately for me life-changing in my sense of what art could be a woman came up to me on the gallery floor to express her concern about the nature of how powerful images
Video examples
Why political...
for a minority of senators just 41 senators to prevent the Senate from passing anything now this again is going to be a very very difficult contentious process but there is talk in Washington of changing this rule so you no longer
Video examples
Let's put birth control...
I think, as we go through this history, it's important to pause for a moment and to remember why this has become such a contentious issue. It's because some family planning programs
Video examples
Liz Coleman's call to...
exhibited in such abundance here, needs to turn its attention to that collaborative, messy, frustrating, contentious and impossible world of politics and public policy.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Eric Holder
American Public Servant
I still think that we have a hesitance to talk about things racial. And I think we do it at our detriment. We go from incident to incident, and we have spikes in which race becomes something that we talk about, as opposed to talking about race in those less contentious times when I think we might make more progress.
Quote examples
Mark Meadows
American Politician
Speaking nothing of how we often fall short in keeping our promises, we frequently play an unnecessary game of politics with key issues - using must-pass legislation such as disaster relief as a vehicle to sweeten unrelated, contentious bills that may not otherwise pass as stand-alone measures.
Quote examples
Greig Fraser
Australian Diplomat
The key is you don't want to control the controlled stuff too much and you don't want to be too free flowing in uncontrolled situations. That can be a contentious issue with some directors. The joy of my career is I've gotten to work with great directors who get that balance.
Quote examples
Jason Blum
American Producer
In big movies, interests are not aligned between those above the line and the financier, because above the line gets paid whether the movie works or not. The financier only makes money if the movie works, and that fundamentally sets up a contentious relationship.
Quote examples
Jason Aaron
American Writer
You can imagine sitting in a room for three days talking about comic books, eight hours a day. It gets wacky and very nerdy. It also gets contentious at times.
Quote examples
Thomas Carlyle
Scottish Philosopher
Long stormy spring-time, wet contentious April, winter chilling the lap of very May; but at length the season of summer does come.
Quote examples
Keanu Reeves
Canadian Actor
I mean, I went to a Catholic boys' school for a year, but that was to play hockey. Religion class was quite contentious for me.
Quote examples
Zhuangzi
Chinese Philosopher
Great wisdom is generous; petty wisdom is contentious. Great speech is impassioned, small speech cantankerous.
Quote examples
Chuck Palahniuk
American Novelist
The world of American politics is more contentious than it has ever been in my lifetime.
Quote examples
Jim DeMint
American Politician
I don't even like playing a contentious role.
Quote examples
Eric Holder
American Public Servant
I still think that we have a hesitance to talk about things racial. And I think we do it at our detriment. We go from incident to incident, and we have spikes in which race becomes something that we talk about, as opposed to talking about race in those less contentious times when I think we might make more progress.
Quote examples
Mark Meadows
American Politician
Speaking nothing of how we often fall short in keeping our promises, we frequently play an unnecessary game of politics with key issues - using must-pass legislation such as disaster relief as a vehicle to sweeten unrelated, contentious bills that may not otherwise pass as stand-alone measures.
Quote examples
Greig Fraser
Australian Diplomat
The key is you don't want to control the controlled stuff too much and you don't want to be too free flowing in uncontrolled situations. That can be a contentious issue with some directors. The joy of my career is I've gotten to work with great directors who get that balance.
Quote examples
Jason Blum
American Producer
In big movies, interests are not aligned between those above the line and the financier, because above the line gets paid whether the movie works or not. The financier only makes money if the movie works, and that fundamentally sets up a contentious relationship.
Quote examples
Jason Aaron
American Writer
You can imagine sitting in a room for three days talking about comic books, eight hours a day. It gets wacky and very nerdy. It also gets contentious at times.
Quote examples
Thomas Carlyle
Scottish Philosopher
Long stormy spring-time, wet contentious April, winter chilling the lap of very May; but at length the season of summer does come.
Quote examples
Keanu Reeves
Canadian Actor
I mean, I went to a Catholic boys' school for a year, but that was to play hockey. Religion class was quite contentious for me.
Quote examples
Zhuangzi
Chinese Philosopher
Great wisdom is generous; petty wisdom is contentious. Great speech is impassioned, small speech cantankerous.
Quote examples
Chuck Palahniuk
American Novelist
The world of American politics is more contentious than it has ever been in my lifetime.
Quote examples
Jim DeMint
American Politician
I don't even like playing a contentious role.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension