point of contention
point of contention — idiom
1. a specific subject, issue, or detail that two or more people or groups disagree
a specific subject, issue, or detail that two or more people or groups disagree about and keep discussing.
The main point of contention between the teams was how to divide the project budget.
point of contention between X and Y
Kwame and Elena argued for hours, but the real point of contention was money.
The new parking lot became a point of contention among the shop owners.
During the meeting, the schedule was the main point of contention for both sides.
Aarav tried to avoid the point of contention by changing the subject.
- bone of contention
identical meaning but more informal and figurative; both phrases are interchangeable in most contexts
- sticking point
emphasizes that the issue prevents progress or agreement from being reached
- disputed issue
more formal and literal; less idiomatic than 'point of contention'
- point of agreement
a specific issue that people are in harmony about
- common ground
shared beliefs or interests that reduce disagreement
文法句型
a / the point of contention + between / among / over
用法筆記
Often used with 'main' or 'real' before the phrase to emphasize the central disagreement. Commonly follows verbs such as 'become,' 'remain,' or 'avoid.' The object of the preposition can be 'between' (two sides), 'among' (multiple sides), or 'over' (the topic).