Besides those serious problems, he had to contend with all sorts of people.
Source: tatoeba (299969)
Contend
//kənˈtɛnd//
Synonyms for "contend" (220 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (44)
Strong matches (66)
choplogicclaimclashcloseclose withcollidecombatcome to blowscompetecompete withconfrontcontend aboutcontend againstconterminouscontraposecontrapositcontrastcopecope withcounteract
Show 37 more words
cross swordscut and thrustdeclaredefenddictatedisagreedisceptdisputeduelencounterenjoinenunciateexchange blowsexpressfacefencefeudfight a duelfight againstfight overfrontgive and takegive satisfactiongrapplegrapple withgrunt and sweathasslehavehave it outholdhuff and puffinsistinsist oninsist uponissueissue a manifestojoin battle with
Related words (110)
join issuejostlejoustjustifylabor againstlay downlie oppositelock hornslogomachizemaintainmanifestomatchmeetmeet head onmeet head-onmilitate againstmix it upmootoffer resistanceoppose
Show 80 more words
oppugnpersistpettifogpit againstpleadpolarizepolemicizepolemizepose againstpredicateprescribepressproclaimprofesspronounceprotestputput in oppositionput itquarrelquarrel overquibblerasslereluctreluctatereportresistriotrivalrun a tiltsayscramblescuffleset downset over againstskirmishsparspeakspeak outspeak upsquabble overstandstand forstand onstand opposedstand oppositestatestaystem the tidestickstick tosticklestrivestrive againststruggle againstsubmitsubtendtake issue withtake no denialtake ontake sidestellthrash outthrust and parrytilttourneytry conclusionstugtussleurgevievie withvindicatewage warwarwarrantwithstandwranglewrangle overwrestle
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriesSynonyms
6 entriesRelated terms
3 entriesderived
5 entriesmanner of
1 entriesrelated to
13 entriesTranslations
91 translations across 21 languages.
Ancient Greek
2 entries- ἀγωνίζομαι verb (strive in opposition)
- ἀθλέω verb (strive in opposition)
Bulgarian
4 entries- боря се verb (struggle)
- застъпвам verb (believe and argue)
- споря verb (strive in debate)
- сражавам се verb (struggle)
Chinese Mandarin
4 entries- 奮鬥 /奋斗 verb (strive in opposition)
- 掙扎 verb (strive in opposition)
- 掙扎 verb (struggle)
- 爭奪 /争夺 verb (struggle)
Czech
4 entries- bojovat verb (strive in opposition)
- namáhat se verb (struggle)
- probíjet se verb (struggle)
- rvát se verb (strive in opposition)
Danish
3 entries- kæmpe verb (strive in opposition)
- slås verb (strive in opposition)
- stride verb (strive in opposition)
Dutch
4 entries- aantonen verb (believe and argue)
- bestrijden verb (struggle)
- betwisten verb (strive in opposition)
- betwisten verb (strive in debate)
Finnish
4 entries- esittää verb (believe and argue)
- kamppailla verb (struggle)
- kiistellä verb (strive in opposition)
- käydä käsiksi verb (strive in opposition)
German
4 entries- argumentieren verb (strive in debate)
- die Ansicht vertreten verb (believe and argue)
- fest behaupten verb (believe and argue)
- festhalten an verb (struggle)
Gothic
1 entries- 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍆𐍃𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 verb (strive in opposition)
Latin
3 entries- certō verb (strive in opposition)
- dīmicō verb (strive in opposition)
- dīmicō verb (struggle)
Middle English
1 entries- macchen verb (strive in opposition)
Māori
4 entries- kairapu verb (struggle)
- kairapurapu verb (struggle)
- kōkirikiri verb (strive in opposition)
- taukumekume verb (strive in debate)
Old English
1 entries- flītan verb (strive in opposition)
Old Norse
1 entries- þreyta verb (struggle)
Persian
1 entries- ستیزه کردن verb (strive in opposition)
Polish
1 entries- zmagać się verb (struggle)
Russian
3 entries- боро́ться verb (struggle)
- соперничать verb (strive in opposition)
- утвержда́ть verb (strive in debate)
Sanskrit
1 entries- स्पर्धते verb (strive in opposition)
Spanish
4 entries- contender verb (strive in opposition)
- contender verb (struggle)
- opositar verb (strive in opposition)
- refertar verb (strive in opposition)
Swedish
2 entries- kämpa verb (strive in opposition)
- strida verb (strive in opposition)
Ukrainian
4 entries- боро́тися verb (struggle)
- змага́тися verb (strive in opposition)
- наполяга́ти verb (strive in debate)
- спереча́тися verb (strive in debate)
Sample sentences
22 total sentences available.
He had to contend against physical suffering.
Source: tatoeba (302189)
To contend in a joust, be it verbal, one must also behave in a chivalrous way.
Source: tatoeba (927320)
I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
Source: tatoeba (1565793)
Showing 4 of 22 available sentences.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.