contention

/kənˈtenʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /kənˈtenʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /kən-ˈten(t)-shən/ (ame, mw)

contention — 名詞

  • contentionsingular
  • contentionsplural

1. a state of strong disagreement between people or groups, often continuing for a

1.名詞B2
釋義

爭論；爭執

長時間的強烈分歧

a state of strong disagreement between people or groups, often continuing for a long time

例句

The location of the new hospital became a major point of contention among local residents.

新醫院的選址成了當地居民之間的一大爭論焦點。

collocation: point of contention

Lakan's decision to leave the board caused months of bitter contention within the organisation.

Lakan 決定離開董事會，導致組織內部數月的激烈爭執。

同義詞
  • dispute

    more active, often refers to a specific argument rather than a general state of disagreement

  • conflict

    broader; can include physical fighting, not just verbal disagreement

  • friction

    milder; suggests ongoing irritation rather than open argument

  • discord

    more formal and literary; emphasises lack of harmony

反義詞
  • agreement

    opposite end of the spectrum — harmonious understanding between parties

  • harmony

    suggests peaceful coexistence without disagreement

文法句型

be a/source/point of contention

contention about/over/between/among

用法筆記

Usually uncountable; the countable form 'contentions' is rare and mainly literary. Frequently paired with prepositions 'over', 'about', 'between', or 'among'.

常見錯誤

❌There was a strong contention between the two teams about the result.
✅There was strong contention between the two teams about the result.
💡In the disagreement sense, contention is uncountable and does not take an article.

2. a specific opinion or statement that someone presents as true, particularly duri

2.名詞B2
釋義

主張；論點

在辯論中提出的意見

a specific opinion or statement that someone presents as true, particularly during an argument in which others hold a different view

例句

Élise's central contention is that the current education system fails to prepare students for real-world challenges.

Élise 的核心主張是，現行教育體系未能培養學生應對真實世界的挑戰。

pattern: [possessive] contention + that-clause

The professor supported his contention with data collected from over fifty countries.

教授用從五十多個國家收集的數據來支持他的論點。

collocation: support [someone's] contention

同義詞
  • assertion

    very close in meaning; 'assertion' emphasises confidence, while 'contention' emphasises the argumentative context

  • claim

    broader and less formal; can be used outside arguments

  • thesis

    more formal and academic; usually the main idea of a written work

  • argument

    refers to the reasoning used to support a point, rather than the point itself

文法句型

[possessive] + contention + that-clause

it is [possessive] contention that...

support/challenge/reject + [possessive] contention

用法筆記

This sense is always countable and most commonly appears in formal or academic contexts. The that-clause after 'contention' states the content of the opinion. Common verbs paired with this sense: 'support', 'challenge', 'reject', 'accept', 'disprove'.

3. the state of having a realistic chance of winning or achieving something, especi

3.名詞B2
釋義

角逐；競爭

有機會贏得比賽或職位

the state of having a realistic chance of winning or achieving something, especially in a competition or contest — used almost exclusively in the prepositional phrases 'in contention' and 'out of contention'

例句

After six consecutive wins, Salma is still in contention for the national title.

連續六場勝利後，Salma 仍在角逐全國冠軍。

pattern: in contention for + prize/position

A poor performance in the semi-final put the team out of contention for the championship.

準決賽表現不佳，使該隊無緣角逐冠軍寶座。

pattern: out of contention for + prize/position

同義詞
  • competition

    standard standalone noun; 'contention' in this sense is more restricted to fixed phrases

文法句型

in contention [for something]

out of contention [for something]

用法筆記

This sense exists only within the fixed phrases 'in contention' (having a chance) and 'out of contention' (no longer having a chance). It cannot be used freely like a regular noun — you cannot say 'the contention was strong' to mean competition. The preposition 'for' introduces the prize, title, or position being competed for.

常見錯誤

❌The contention for the trophy was fierce.
✅The teams in contention for the trophy were playing fiercely.
💡'Contention' in the competition sense is not a standalone noun; it must appear in the phrases 'in contention' or 'out of contention'.