contend

con·tend

Use contend in a sentence

verb

To contend is to believe something is a fact or to deal with a challenge.

An example of contend is when you argue that the sky is green.
An example of contend is when you have to deal with a broken leg before going on a trip.

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MLA Style

"contend." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/CONTEND>.

APA Style

contend. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/CONTEND

contend

to strive in combat; fight
to strive in competition; vie: contend for a prize
to strive in debate or controversy; dispute

Origin of contend

Middle English contenden, to compete from Classical Latin contendere, to stretch out, strive after from com-, together + tendere, to stretch: see tense

to hold to be a fact; assert: we contend that he is guilty

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"contend." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/CONTEND>.

APA Style

contend. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/CONTEND

contend

verb

con·tend·ed, con·tend·ing, con·tends

verb

intransitive

To strive in opposition or against difficulties; struggle: armies contending for control of territory; had to contend with long lines at the airport.
To strive in competition, as in a race; vie: two runners contending for the lead.
To strive in controversy or debate; dispute.

verb

transitive

To assert or maintain: The defense contended that the evidence was inadmissible.

Origin of contend

Middle English contenden from Latin contendere com- com- tendere to stretch, strive ; see ten- in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

con·tend′er
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"contend." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/CONTEND>.

APA Style

contend. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/CONTEND

Verb

(third-person singular simple present contends, present participle contending, simple past and past participle contended)

to strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
to struggle or exert one's self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
to strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.

Related terms

Origin

From Old French contendre, from Latin contendere (“to stretch out, extend, strive after, contend”), from com- (“together”) + tendere (“to stretch”); see tend, and compare attend, extend, intend, subtend.