kənˈtend verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle French or Latin; Middle French contendre, from Latin contendere to stretch vigorously, to strive, contend, from com- + tendere to stretch — more at tend
intransitive verb
1. : to strive or vie especially with determination and exertion in contest or rivalry or against difficulties, exigencies, or failings
the Manichean theory of a good and an evil spirit contending on nearly equal terms — W.R.Inge
the African Queen might soon be contending with difficulties of refueling — C.S.Forester
2. : to strive in debate : engage in discussion : argue
stubbornly contended for what he believed to be the truth — H.E.Starr
transitive verb
1. : maintain , assert , argue
contending that literature must serve a moral function — C.I.Glicksberg
2. : to struggle for : contest
she contended every point, objected to every request — Margaret Mead
Synonyms:
cope , fight , battle , war : contend is a general term indicating endeavoring or striving to vanquish an opponent or to overcome difficulties or adversities
the lusty wrestlers shall contend — William Wordsworth
ladies contended for the honor of being taken down to dinner by the brilliant French journalist — W.C.Brownell
since they had left the Espanola country behind them, they had contended first with wind and sandstorms, and now with cold — Willa Cather
cope may imply contending with an adversary on even or better than even terms and defeating or parrying his efforts, or facing adversity, difficulty, exigency and finding expedients
a boy of barely sixteen cannot stand against the moral pressure of a father and mother who have always oppressed him any more than he can cope physically with a powerful full-grown man — Samuel Butler †1902
the National Government had to cope with … provincial separatism — Owen & Eleanor Lattimore
the inadequate medical staff, without drugs, could not cope with the situation — W.B.Hesseltine
fight is likely to involve notions of more strenuous activity or even violence than contend or cope; it suggests constant vigorous effort
while Spaniards fought back with gun and Gospel to retain control of territories painfully won — R.A.Billington
the advocates of the old classical education have been gallantly fighting a losing battle for over half a century — W.R.Inge
he had fought like a demon every inch of the way against poverty and discouragement — A.W.Long
battle and war are more figurative; the first suggests contending as under battle conditions, with fierce fighting, resolute attack and defense, and changing fortunes
grimy rescue teams working in shifts battled gas and smoke tonight attempting to reach an estimated sixty men still entombed by a Christmastide mine explosion — New York Times
thou wouldst have nobly stirred thyself and battled for the right — William Wordsworth
the second suggests sustained struggle as under war conditions
to war against my people and my knights — Alfred Tennyson
spent his life warring against war, and disease, and poverty — V.L.Parrington
housewife that is forever warring with the dust — Edith Sitwell
Synonym: see in addition compete .