Contentious
/kənˈtɛnʃəs/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Contentious means likely to cause arguments or disagreements between people. It is often used to describe topics, issues, or situations where people strongly disagree or argue. It can also describe a person who likes to argue or cause arguments.
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See It in Action
Causing disagreement or argument
- •The new law is a contentious issue in the community.
- •Contentious debates about climate change happen every year.
- •That topic is too contentious to discuss at dinner.
Describing a person who likes to argue
- •He is a contentious person who always disagrees with others.
- •She became contentious when the discussion turned to her work.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "contentious" like "argue" (A1 word), but used as an adjective to describe things or people that cause or like arguments
- ✓Picture two people having a heated debate, both very serious and not agreeing—that is a contentious situation
- ✓It's the feeling when you talk about a difficult topic like politics or sports, and people start to disagree loudly
- ✓Sounds like "con-TEN-shus" → imagine tension (stress) in a conversation that makes people want to argue
- ✓Think of TV shows or news stories that make people angry or divided because they are about contentious subjects
- ✓NOT like "peaceful" (quiet and calm)—contentious is full of disagreement and conflict
- ✓NOT like "friendly" (kind and nice)—contentious people or topics make people upset or angry
- ✓NOT like "boring" (no interest)—contentious topics are often very interesting but also cause fights
Try Other Words
- •Disputed: causing disagreement or debate (Use when focusing on a topic that people do not agree about)
- •Controversial: causing public disagreement or strong opinions (Use when the issue is widely known and causes strong feelings)
- •Argumentative: describing a person who likes to argue (Use when talking about someone's behavior rather than a topic)
Unboxing
- •Prefix "con-" means "together" or "with"
- •Root "tens" comes from Latin "tendere," meaning "to stretch" or "to strain"
- •Suffix "-ious" forms adjectives meaning "full of" or "having the quality of"
- •Origin from Latin "contentiosus," meaning "quarrelsome" or "inclined to fight"
- •Over time, it came to describe things or people that cause or like arguments, not just physical fights
Reflect & Connect
•Can a contentious topic ever lead to positive change, or does it only cause problems?
•How do you feel when you are in a contentious discussion? Do you try to avoid it or join in?
Fill in the blanks
1.The new policy was contentious because it ___ strong opinions from different groups.
2.When a person is contentious, they often ___ with others during conversations.
3.Unlike peaceful topics, contentious issues usually ___ people to argue.
4.The meeting became contentious after someone ___ a sensitive subject.
5.Contentious debates often ___ emotions like anger or frustration.
6.People try to avoid contentious topics at family dinners to prevent ___.
7.A contentious person might ___ disagreements even when others want to stop.