Topic Thesaurus
Roget's Thesaurus

Contention

Nouns
  • contention, strife
  • contest, contestation
  • struggle
  • belligerency
  • opposition etc. Opposition. controversy, polemics
  • debate etc. (discussion) Reasoning,
  • war of words, logomachy, litigation
  • paper war
  • high words etc. (quarrel) Discord
  • sparring etc. v.. competition, rivalry
  • corrivalry, corrivalship, agonism, concours, match, race, horse racing, heat, steeple chase, handicap
  • regatta
  • field day
  • sham fight, Derby day
  • turf, sporting, bullfight, tauromachy, gymkhana
  • boat race, torpids. wrestling, greco-roman wrestling
  • pugilism, boxing, fisticuffs, the manly art of self-defense
  • spar, mill, set-to, round, bout, event, prize fighting
  • quarterstaff, single stick
  • gladiatorship, gymnastics
  • jiujitsu, jujutsu, kooshti, sumo
  • athletics, athletic sports
  • games of skill etc. Amusement. shindy
  • fracas etc. (discord) Discord
  • clash of arms
  • tussle, scuffle, broil, fray
  • affray, affrayment
  • velitation
  • colluctation, luctation
  • brabble, brigue, scramble, melee, scrimmage, stramash, bushfighting. free fight, stand up fight, hand to hand, running fight. conflict, skirmish
  • rencounter, encounter
  • rencontre, collision, affair, brush, fight
  • battle, battle royal
  • combat, action, engagement, joust, tournament
  • tilt, tilting [Mediev.]
  • tournay, list
  • pitched battle. death struggle, struggle for life or death, life or death struggle, Armageddon. hard knocks, sharp contest, tug of war. naval engagement, naumachia, sea fight. duel
  • single combat, monomachy, satisfaction, passage of arms, affair of honor
  • triangular duel
  • hostile meeting, digladiation
  • deeds of arms, feats of arms
  • appeal to arms etc. (warfare) Warfare. pugnacity
  • combativeness etc. adj.
  • bone of contention etc. Discord.
Verbs
  • contend
  • contest, strive, struggle, scramble, wrestle
  • spar, square
  • exchange blows, exchange fisticuffs
  • fib, justle, tussle, tilt, box, stave, fence
  • skirmish
  • pickeer
  • fight etc. (war) Warfare
  • wrangle etc. (quarrel) Discord. contend with etc., grapple with, engage with, close with, buckle with, bandy with, try conclusions with, have a brush etc. n.. with, tilt with
  • encounter, fall foul of, pitch into, clapperclaw, run a tilt at
  • oppose etc. Opposition
  • reluct. join issue, come to blows, go to loggerheads, set to, come to the scratch, exchange shots, measure swords, meet hand to hand
  • take up the cudgels, take up the glove, take up the gauntlet
  • enter the lists
  • couch one's lance
  • give satisfaction
  • appeal to arms
  • c. (warfare) Warfare. lay about one
  • break the peace. compete with, cope with, vie with, race with
  • outvie, emulate, rival
  • run a race
  • contend for etc., stipulate for, stickle for
  • insist upon, make a point of.
Adjectives
  • contending etc. v.
  • together by the ears, at loggerheads. at war. at issue. competitive, rival
  • belligerent
  • contentious, combative, bellicose, unpeaceful
  • warlike etc. Warfare
  • quarrelsome etc. Irascibility
  • pugnacious
  • pugilistic, gladiatorial
  • palestric, palestrical.
Phrases
  • a word and a blow
  • a very pretty quarrel as it stands" [Sheridan]