contendverb
uk/kənˈtend/us/kənˈtend/contend verb (COMPETE)
[ I ] to compete in order to win something:
There are three world-class tennis players contending for this title.
He's contending against someone with twice his experience.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Competing and contending (non-sporting)
- cat
- challenge
- close-run
- competitive
- contender
- contest
- contestant
- dog-eat-dog
- entry
- go in for sth
- jockey
- pit sb/sth against sb/sth
- pit your wits against sb/sth idiom
- play cat and mouse idiom
- play sb/sth off against sb/sth
- race
- rival
- rivalry
- scramble
- square
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contend verb (CLAIM)
[ T + (that) ] formal to say that something is true or is a fact:
The lawyer contended (that) her client had never been near the scene of the crime.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Assertions & asserting
- airing
- assert
- assertion
- attestation
- aver
- claim
- foot
- lay
- lay sth on the line idiom
- maintain
- make out sth
- misstate
- pled
- reaffirm
- set
- story
- take
- take it from me idiom
- take sth from sb
- that's my story and I'm sticking to it idiom
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Phrasal verb(s)
contend with sth