How do you use the word "contentious" in a sentence?

Q: How do you use the word "contentious" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "contentious": Discussions about religion are very often contentious. Religion is a contentious topic for many people.

Contentious Meaning

/kənˈtɛn.ʃəs/

Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

adjMarked by heated arguments or controversy.

adjGiven to struggling with others out of jealousy or discord.

Sentence Examples

Discussions about religion are very often contentious.

Religion is a contentious topic for many people.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms:

controversial argumentative

Antonyms:

None

CEFR Practice Quiz

The ____ debate about taxes lasted for hours without any agreement.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

Discussions about religion are very often ____.

Word Origin & History

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *ten- Proto-Indo-European *tend-der. Proto-Italic *tendō Latin tendō Latin contendō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin contentiō Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h₃édosder.? Proto-Italic *-ōtsos or *-otsos Latin -ōsus Latin contentiōsus Middle French contentieux English contentious From Middle French contentieux, from Latin contentiōsus (“quarrelsome, perverse”), from contentiō (“contention”), from contendere, past participle contentus (“to contend”). Equivalent to English contention + -ous.

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"Ukraine, however, will complain long and hard about a contentious second-half incident when Marko Devic's shot clearly crossed the line before it was scrambled away by John Terry, only for the officials to remain unmoved." — 2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport:

"His essay[…] is likely to draw a furious response from across the party, where [Tony] Blair’s legacy remains highly contentious." — 2026 May 26, Jessica Elgot, “Tony Blair tells Starmer and rivals: abandon net zero and move closer to Trump”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

"She was not a contentious person as the Other had been; she did not argue and contradict everything I said." — 2020, Susanna Clarke, Piranesi, Bloomsbury, page 212:

Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words