Contention
Contention noun - An earnest effort for superiority or victory over another.
Usage example: several actresses seem to be in heated contention for the title of “worst dressed”
Rivalry is a synonym for contention in competition topic. In some cases you can use "Rivalry" instead a noun "Contention", when it comes to topics like conflict, dispute. popular alternative
Rivalry
Rivalry noun - An earnest effort for superiority or victory over another.
Usage example: a healthy rivalry in sports between the two schools
Show all Definitions
Synonyms for Rivalry
Contention is a synonym for rivalry in competition topic. You can use "Contention" instead a noun "Rivalry", if it concerns topics such as match, conflict, dispute, fight. popular alternative
Nearby Word: rival
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- contest and contention
- contest and rivalry
- struggle and contention
- struggle and rivalry
- conflict and contention
- conflict and rivalry
- argument and contention
- argument and rivalry
- disagreement and contention
- disagreement and rivalry
- opposition and contention
- opposition and rivalry
- dispute and contention
- dispute and rivalry
How words are described
Both words in one sentence
- The classic: The University of Michigan and The Ohio State University, quite possibly the oldest rivalry among BCS teams (the Ivy League's rivalries are older, but they're not in contention anymore).
Source: Fandom Rivalry / Sports - For all the talk of who really is the Greatest Quarterback of all time (with both in contention, to say the least) and the hyped up rivalry talk, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady speak highly respectful of each other and seem to genuinely enjoy playing against one another.
Source: Friendly Rivalry -
The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry: The eponymous fallen star was once an object of contention between the Moon Goddess and her sister the Sun Goddess.
Source: Videogame / Dark Parables
Cite this Source
Rivalry and Contention. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/contention/rivalry
Contention & Rivalry. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/contention/rivalry>.
Rivalry or Contention. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/contention/rivalry.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "contention" and "rivalry" have occurred on timeline