contention

Strong disagreement or arguing between people.

• Money was a source of contention.
• The boundary remains a point of contention between the neighbors.
• There was bitter contention over who should lead the group.

How to use it: contention over something (There was contention over the new rules.); contention between A and B (The policy caused contention between workers and managers.)

Similar words: disagreement, dispute, conflict

Opposites: agreement, harmony

Common phrases: point of contention, source of contention, cause contention

A serious disagreement or struggle between people with different aims or opinions.

• The decision caused considerable contention.
• Money remains a bone of contention between them.
• Years of contention left the two communities divided.

How to use it: contention over something (There was contention over who should lead the team.)

Similar words: disagreement, dispute, conflict

Opposites: agreement

Common phrases: source of contention, bone of contention, contention over something

An opinion that someone argues is true.

• I disagree with your contention.
• His main contention is that the plan costs too much.
• The evidence supports their contention that the damage was deliberate.

How to use it: contention that… (Her contention that the rules were unfair convinced us.)

Similar words: claim, argument, position

Common phrases: my contention, central contention, support a contention