Categories: GeneralSynonyms

CONTENTIOUS: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for CONTENTIOUS?

Need another word that means the same as “contentious”? Find 34 synonyms and 30 related words for “contentious” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Contentious” are: combative, disputatious, disputative, litigious, controversial, disputable, debatable, disputed, open to debate, open to question, moot, vexed, heated, vehement, fierce, violent, intense, impassioned, committed, argumentative, quarrelsome, confrontational, captious, factious, pugnacious, ready for a fight, defiant, hostile, antagonistic, bellicose, belligerent, militant, warring, fighting

Contentious as an Adjective

Definitions of "Contentious" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “contentious” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

  • Inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits.
  • Causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial.
  • Involving or likely to cause controversy.
  • Relating to or involving differences between contending parties.
  • Involving heated argument.
  • (of a person) given to provoking argument.
  • Involving or likely to cause controversy- Tim W.Ferfuson.

Synonyms of "Contentious" as an adjective (34 Words)

antagonisticCharacterized by antagonism or antipathy.
An antagonistic group of bystanders.
argumentativeGiven to or characterized by argument.
An intelligent but argumentative child.
bellicoseHaving or showing a ready disposition to fight.
A mood of bellicose jingoism.
belligerentEngaged in war.
A belligerent tone.
captiousTending to find and call attention to faults.
A captious teacher.
combativeReady or eager to fight or argue.
A combative impulse.
committedAssociated in an exclusive sexual relationship.
Committed church members.
confrontationalTending to deal with situations in an aggressive way; hostile or argumentative.
He distanced himself from the confrontational approach adopted by his predecessor.
controversialGiving rise or likely to give rise to controversy or public disagreement.
Years of wrangling over a controversial bypass.
debatableOpen to discussion or argument.
It is debatable whether the country is coming out of recession.
defiantShowing defiance.
Brought up to be aggressive and defiant.
disputableOpen to argument or debate.
Whether it can be described as art criticism may be disputable.
disputatiousFond of having heated arguments.
It s a congenial hang out for disputatious academics.
disputativeInclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits.
disputedSubject to disagreement and debate.
factiousRelating or inclined to dissension.
A factious country.
fierce(of a mechanism) having a jolting and powerful abruptness of action.
Fierce loyalty.
fightingEngaged in or ready for military or naval operations.
He put up his fists and took a fighting stance.
heatedMade warm or hot het is a dialectal variant of heated.
A heated swimming pool.
hostileVery unfavorable to life or growth.
A hostile remark.
impassionedFilled with or showing great emotion.
She made an impassioned plea for help.
intenseExtremely sharp or intense.
A burning and intense look.
litigiousTending or too ready to take legal action to settle disputes.
Our increasingly litigious society.
militantEngaged in war.
Militant in fighting for better wages for workers.
mootSubject to debate, dispute, or uncertainty.
Whether they had been successful or not was a moot point.
open to debateOf an interval that contains neither of its endpoints.
open to questionReady or willing to receive favorably.
pugnaciousTough and callous by virtue of experience.
Pugnacious spirits lamented that there was so little prospect of an exhilarating disturbance.
quarrelsomeGiven to quarreling.
A moody quarrelsome man.
ready for a fightMentally disposed.
vehementCharacterized by great force or energy.
Her voice was low but vehement.
vexedTroubled persistently especially with petty annoyances.
The vexed parents of an unruly teenager.
violentMarked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions inclined to react violently fervid.
Violent dislike.
warring(of two or more people or groups) in conflict with each other.
Warring factions.

Usage Examples of "Contentious" as an adjective

  • A central and contentious element of the book.
  • A style described as abrasive and contentious.
  • A contentious issue.
  • The socio-economic plan had been the subject of contentious debate.

Associations of "Contentious" (30 Words)

arguePresent reasons and arguments.
She was too tired to argue the point.
argumentAn independent variable associated with a function or proposition and determining its value For example in the expression y F x x the arguments of the function F are x and x and the value is y.
The argument over foreign aid goes on and on.
argumentativeGiven to or characterized by argument.
An argumentative child.
bellicoseDemonstrating aggression and willingness to fight.
Bellicose young officers.
belligerentEngaged in war.
A conference of socialists from all belligerent countries.
bicker(of a flame or light) flash, gleam, or flicker.
Against the glass the rain did beat and bicker.
combativeInclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits.
A combative impulse.
competitionThe contestant you hope to defeat.
The competition for university places is greater than ever this year.
confrontationalOf or relating to confrontation.
He distanced himself from the confrontational approach adopted by his predecessor.
contendSucceed in doing, achieving, or producing (something) with the limited or inadequate means available.
He contended that Communism had no future.
contentionA point asserted as part of an argument.
The teams were in fierce contention for first place.
controversialGiving rise or likely to give rise to controversy or public disagreement.
Rushdie s controversial book.
controversyProlonged public disagreement or heated discussion.
The announcement ended a protracted controversy.
debatableOpen to discussion or argument.
It is debatable whether the country is coming out of recession.
debateHave an argument about something.
John debated Mary.
discordLack of harmony between notes sounding together.
A prosperous family who showed no signs of discord.
discussionAn exchange of views on some topic.
We had a good discussion.
disputableCapable of being disproved.
Whether it can be described as art criticism may be disputable.
disputatiousFond of having heated arguments.
A disputatious lawyer.
disputeA disagreement or argument about something important.
He taught and disputed with local poets.
fightThe act of fighting any contest or struggle.
They were fighting over who pays the bill.
issueSupplies as food or clothing or ammunition issued by the government.
He died without issue.
litigiousConcerned with lawsuits or litigation.
A litigious and acrimonious spirit.
polemicalOf or involving dispute or controversy.
A polemical essay.
pugnaciousTough and callous by virtue of experience.
His public statements became increasingly pugnacious.
quarrelsomeGiven to quarreling.
Quarrelsome when drinking.
refutableAble to be refuted.
rivalryThe act of competing as for profit or a prize.
There always has been intense rivalry between the clubs.
wrangleAn instance of intense argument (as in bargaining.
Wrangle horses.
wranglingEngagement in a long, complicated dispute or argument.
Weeks of political wrangling.
Alexei

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