con ‧ ten ‧ tious /kənˈtenʃəs/ BrE AmE adjective
1 . causing a lot of argument and disagreement between people SYN controversial
contentious issue/area/subject etc
Animal welfare did not become a contentious issue until the late 1970s.
2 . someone who is contentious often argues with people SYN argumentative
—contentiously adverb
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THESAURUS
▪ controversial causing a lot of disagreement and angry argument, especially in the newspapers, on television etc:
Abortion is a controversial subject.
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The film was highly controversial at the time.
▪ contentious formal likely to cause a lot of disagreement and argument :
the contentious issue of immigration
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These claims are highly contentious.
▪ debatable/arguable used when you think that something is not certain and that people have different opinions about it, especially in the phrase it is debatable/arguable whether :
It is debatable whether this book is as good as her previous novel.
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It is arguable whether these measures will reduce the overall cost.
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Does the treatment work? I think that’s debatable.
▪ something is a moot point used when you think that something is not certain and that people have different opinions about it - a rather formal phrase:
Whether this proposal will really reduce crime is a moot point.