contend

表示在对抗、竞争或争论中坚持自己的立场，也可表示设法应对困难。

💡 记忆钩子

把 contend 想成“双方一起拉伸、互相较劲”：人可以为争夺某物而竞争，可以为观点而争论，也可以对着困难用力周旋。因此它的核心画面是“迎着阻力坚持较量”。

📝 学习建议

不要把 contend 只理解成普通的“争吵”；它也常用于较正式的“主张、认为”，以及“应对困难”。
优先掌握 contend with 和 contend that 两个结构：前者偏向“应对或与……抗争”，后者偏向“主张……”。

📖 中文释义

verb

core 与人对抗、争斗

📖 指双方处在对立状态，为了胜负或立场而较量；可以是比赛中的竞争，也可以是激烈的冲突。

💡 常用结构是 contend with + 对手，或 contend against + 对手；表示“与……抗争”。语气通常比日常口语中的“吵架”或“打架”正式，具体是竞争还是冲突要看上下文。不要只把它理解成身体上的战斗。

intransitive

Several teams are contending for the championship.

几支队伍正在争夺冠军。

The two groups contended with each other over control of the company.

两个团体为了公司的控制权相互争斗。
common 努力争取或保住

📖 强调为了得到、保住或捍卫某样东西而持续用力竞争，重点在“争取目标”的过程。

💡 常用结构是 contend for + 目标，也可以用 contend with + 对手来说明竞争对象。这个用法常见于正式报道和体育语境，通常暗示竞争激烈或参与者很多。不要把 for 后面的目标误当成被动承受的困难。

intransitive

Three candidates are contending for the party leadership.

三名候选人正在争夺党内领导职位。
common 争论、辩论

📖 指围绕某个问题进行讨论并提出相反意见，重点是观点之间的较量，而不一定有明确的胜负。

💡 常见结构是 contend over + 议题，或 contend with someone about + 议题。这个用法偏正式，适合描述公开辩论、学术争论或政策分歧。日常聊天中通常用更普通的“讨论”或“争论”表达。

intransitive

The two sides continue to contend over how the money should be spent.

双方仍在争论这笔钱应该如何使用。
common 主张、认为

📖 指说话者提出某个观点，并用理由努力证明它合理；在论文和正式文章中常相当于“主张”或“认为”。

💡 最常见结构是 contend that + 完整从句，也可用 contend for + 观点或立场。这个用法不是“和某人争吵”，而是正式地提出并支持一个论点。后面的 that 从句表达所主张的内容，不要漏掉主语和谓语。

intransitive

The researchers contend that the new method is more reliable.

研究人员主张，这种新方法更加可靠。
common 应对困难

📖 指面对问题、限制或不利条件并设法处理，仍然保留“迎着阻力较量”的核心感觉。

💡 最常见结构是 contend with + 困难、问题或不利条件，通常译为“应对”或“与……抗争”。这个用法在新闻、工作和正式说明中很常见，contend with 后面通常接名词或动名词。不要把它理解成主动选择竞争对手；这里的对象往往是无法回避的困难。

Small businesses must contend with rising costs and stricter regulations.

小企业必须应对不断上涨的成本和更加严格的规定。

contends present,singular,third-person contending participle,present contended participle,past contended past

📘 英文释义 (WordNet) 共 6 组

maintain or assert

同义词集: contend postulate

He contended that Communism had no future

上位: claim

have an argument about something

同义词集: argue contend debate fence

上位: converse, discourse 下位: altercate, argufy, dispute, oppose, quarrel, scrap, spar

to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation

同义词集: contest contend repugn

They contested the outcome of the race

上位: oppose 下位: challenge, dispute, gainsay

compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others

同义词集: compete vie contend

下位: emulate, equal, match, play, race, rival, run, touch

be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight; ;

同义词集: contend fight struggle

the tribesmen fought each other

Siblings are always fighting

Militant groups are contending for control of the country

下位: assail, attack, battle, box, combat, defend, duel, engage, fence, feud, fight, fight back, fight down, get back, oppose, scuffle, settle, skirmish, spar, tourney, tug, tussle, wage, war, wrestle 参见: drive back, fight off, rebuff, repel, repulse

succeed in doing, achieving, or producing (something) with the limited or inadequate means available;

同义词集: cope get by make out make do contend grapple deal manage

We got by on just a gallon of gas

They made do on half a loaf of bread every day

上位: act, move 下位: cut, extemporize, fend, hack, improvise

🌳 词源

源自拉丁语，原有“向外伸展、努力争取、较量”的意思，后来发展出“竞争、争论和应对困难”等含义。

From Middle English contenden, borrowed from Old French contendre, from Latin contendere (“to stretch out, extend, strive after, contend”), from com- (“together”) + tendere (“to stretch”); see tend, and compare attend, extend, intend, subtend.

🔄 变式

contended past contending present contends present

🏷 单词标签 & 词根