See contend in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II
verb
To strive in opposition:
battle, combat, duel, fight, struggle, tilt, war, wrestle. See conflictTo strive against (others) for victory:
compete, contest, emulate, rival, vie. See conflictTo put forth reasons for or against something, often excitedly:
argue, debate, dispute, moot. See affirm, wordsTo engage in a quarrel:
argue, bicker, dispute, fight, quarrel, quibble, spat, squabble, tiff, wrangle. (Informal) hassle, tangle. Idioms: cross swords, have it out, have words, lock horns. See conflictTo put into words positively and with conviction:
affirm, allege, argue, assert, asseverate, aver, avouch, avow, claim, declare, hold, maintain, say, state. Idiom: have it. See affirm
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