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contention

Date: 15th century. Middle English contencioun, from Old French contention, from Latin contenti, contentin-, from contentus, past participle of contendere, to contend.

1. The act or an instance of striving in controversy or debate.

2. A striving to win in competition; rivalry: The teams met in fierce contention for first place.

3. An assertion put forward in argument.

Synonyms: discord, strife, contention, dissension, conflict, clash, variance. These nouns refer to a state of disagreement and disharmony.

DISCORD is a lack of harmony often marked by bickering and antipathy: family discord.

STRIFE usually implies a struggle, often destructive, between rivals or factions: political strife.

CONTENTION suggests a dispute in the form of heated debate or quarreling: lively contention among the candidates.

DISSENSION implies difference of opinion that disrupts unity within a group: rampant dissension among the staff.

CONFLICT suggests antagonism of ideas or interests that often results in hostility or divisiveness: conflict between smoking and nonsmoking factions.

CLASH involves irreconcilable ideas or interests: a personality clash.

VARIANCE usually suggests discrepancy or incompatibility: actions at variance with his principles.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition