contentious about

USAGE SUMMARY

'contentious about' is a valid phrase in written English.
You can use it when you want to express disagreement or resistance to a particular opinion, proposal, or line of reasoning. For example, "The council members were particularly contentious about the mayor's proposed budget cuts."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

"They have been very contentious" about this, he said.

The New York Times - Health

Is there anything truly contentious about logorrhoea from the mouths of babes?

The Guardian - Books

So the finding that Americans aren't getting more contentious about policy questions is interesting, but the connection to political polarisation is a little tenuous.

The Economist

At the same time, scientists have become more contentious about ethics issues, like who has the right to be an author on a paper.

The New York Times - Science

They will always be contentious about whoever owns the club and that's the way it has always been.

BBC

But I'm always surprised when people sniff at me, and have a problem with that, because I don't understand what is so contentious about saying: treat people nicely, give them freedom, let them be passionately invested.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

These revelations promise to influence although certainly not end a contentious debate about whether to publish details about this virus and a second, related one that's less virulent.

Science Magazine

It is worth reflecting on his ability to transcend politics when speaking about contentious scientific issues.

Huffington Post

The United States Senate campaign, which has been dominated by questions about ethics, veered today toward equally contentious issues about the future of Social Security.

The New York Times

The two have a frank, detailed and often contentious conversation about what the commission plans to do about Social Security benefits.

Huffington Post

But it excludes the more contentious one about online radio streaming royalties that the likes of Pandora have been crying foul about, as LAT blog points out.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "contentious about" to describe situations where there is active and often heated disagreement or debate regarding a specific topic. For clarity, ensure the subject of the contention is clearly defined.

Common error

Avoid using "contentious about" to describe mild disagreements or simple differences of opinion. Reserve it for situations where there is significant conflict or strong opposing viewpoints.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "contentious about" functions as an adjective phrase followed by a preposition, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe something that is likely to cause disagreement or argument. This is consistent with Ludwig AI's assessment of its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "contentious about" serves to describe subjects or issues prone to causing disagreement or arguments. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a grammatically correct expression suitable for various contexts, although it appears more frequently in news and media, as well as scientific writing. The phrase signifies the presence of conflicting views, highlighting ongoing debates, or disputes. When writing, it's best to use "contentious about" when there is active and often heated disagreement regarding a specific topic and avoid it in mild disagreements or simple differences of opinion. In summary, "contentious about" is an effective way to communicate the presence of significant conflict or strong opposing viewpoints.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

disputed regarding

Replaces "contentious" with "disputed", focusing on the disagreement surrounding a topic.

controversial concerning

Substitutes "contentious" with "controversial", emphasizing the divisiveness of the subject.

at odds over

Replaces the entire phrase with a more idiomatic expression indicating disagreement.

in disagreement with

A more direct and less nuanced way of expressing a difference of opinion.

arguing against

Focuses on the act of arguing or opposing a specific point or idea.

questioning the validity of

Highlights the act of doubting or challenging the correctness of something.

challenging the premise of

Emphasizes the act of disputing the underlying assumptions or foundations.

objecting to

A simpler way of stating a formal or strong disagreement.

taking issue with

Indicates a specific point of contention or disagreement.

resistant to

Focuses on the unwillingness to accept or comply with something.

FAQs

How can I use "contentious about" in a sentence?

You can use "contentious about" to describe someone or something that is causing or likely to cause an argument; for example: "The researcher said that they have been very "contentious about" this" or "The United States Senate campaign, which has been dominated by questions about ethics, veered today toward equally "contentious about" issues about the future of Social Security".

What does "contentious about" mean?

The expression "contentious about" is used to characterize issues or topics that are likely to cause disagreement or argument. It signifies that different people hold strong, conflicting views.

What are some similar phrases to "contentious about"?

Similar phrases include "disputed regarding", "controversial concerning", or "at odds over". All those options express disagreement or conflict, but do so with varying emphasis.

Is "contentious about" formal or informal?

"Contentious about" is suitable for both formal and informal writing, but it is more frequently used in neutral or formal contexts such as news reports, academic papers, or business communications.