contend
verb /kənˈtend/
/kənˈtend/
Verb Forms
Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they contend | /kənˈtend/ /kənˈtend/ |
| he / she / it contends | /kənˈtendz/ /kənˈtendz/ |
| past simple contended | /kənˈtendɪd/ /kənˈtendɪd/ |
| past participle contended | /kənˈtendɪd/ /kənˈtendɪd/ |
| -ing form contending | /kənˈtendɪŋ/ /kənˈtendɪŋ/ |
- [transitive] contend that… (formal) to say that something is true, especially in an argument synonym maintain
- I would contend that the minister's thinking is flawed on this point.
- [intransitive] contend (for something) to compete against somebody in order to gain something
- Three armed groups were contending for power.
Word Originlate Middle English (in the sense ‘compete for (something)’): from Old French contendre or Latin contendere, from con- ‘with’ + tendere ‘stretch, strive’.