Contentious definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

Definition of 'contentious' ; tending to argue or quarrel · causing or characterized by dispute; controversial · law ; always ready to argue; quarrelsome · of or ... EnglishDictionary Thesaurus WordLists Grammar EnglishEasyLearningGrammar GrammarPatterns EnglishUsage TeachingResources VideoGuides Conjugations Sentences Video LearnEnglish Videopronunciations Buildyourvocabulary Quiz Englishgrammar Englishcollocations Englishconfusables Englishidioms Englishusage Thematicwordlists English French German Italian Spanish Portuguese Hindi Chinese Korean Japanese Definitionof 'contentious'    WordFrequency Share× Credits× contentious (kəntenʃəs ) 1. adjective Acontentiousissuecausesalotofdisagreementorarguments. [formal]Sanctionsareexpectedtobeamongthemostcontentiousissues. ...acountrywherelandpricesarepoliticallycontentious. contentiously gradedadverbThistimehewascontentiouslyomittedfromtheteam. 2. gradedadjective Acontentiouspersonseemstolikearguinganddisagreeingwithotherpeople. [formal]Rodneywasacheerful,elegantandgregariousifrathercontentiousman. Synonyms:argumentative,wrangling,perverse,bickering MoreSynonymsofcontentious COBUILDAdvancedEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers Video:pronunciationof contentious Youmayalsolike EnglishQuizConfusables Synonymsof'contentious' LanguageLover'sBlog FrenchTranslationof'contentious' Translateyourtext PronunciationPlaylists Wordoftheday:'vampire' HindiTranslationof'contentious' NEWfromCollins! EnglishGrammar CollinsApps WordFrequency contentiousinBritishEnglish (kənˈtɛnʃəs ) adjective1. tendingtoargueorquarrel 2. causingorcharacterizedbydispute;controversial 3. law relatingtoacauseorlegalbusinessthatiscontested,espaprobatematter CollinsEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers Derivedformscontentiously(conˈtentiously)adverb contentiousness(conˈtentiousness)noun WordFrequency contentiousinAmericanEnglish (kənˈtɛnʃəs ) adjective1.  alwaysreadytoargue;quarrelsome 2.  oformarkedbycontention 3.  provokingorlikelytoprovokecontroversy acontentiousproposal SIMILARWORDS: belˈligerent Webster’sNewWorldCollegeDictionary,4thEdition.Copyright©2010by HoughtonMifflinHarcourt.Allrightsreserved. Derivedformscontentiously(conˈtentiously) adverb contentiousness(conˈtentiousness) noun WordoriginMEcontencios