Contentious: meaning and SAT practice
Contentious (adjective) means: Causing or likely to cause heated argument or dispute.
Contentious in a sentence
The new policy proved contentious among the faculty members.
Similar: controversial, disputed, quarrelsome, argumentative, combative. Opposite: peaceful, agreeable, harmonious.
SAT-style practice: what does “contentious” most nearly mean?
The new policy proved contentious among the faculty members.
As used in the sentence, “contentious” most nearly means
- controversial
- temporary
- colloquial
- productive
Show the answer
Answer: A. “contentious” means: Causing or likely to cause heated argument or dispute. “controversial” is the closest match in this sentence. The other choices are real SAT-level words, but none of them carries that meaning here.
On the digital SAT this is the “Words in Context” skill, about 7 of the 54 Reading and Writing questions. The test asks what a word means as used in the passage, so a word’s most common meaning is not always the answer. More of these, with full explanations, are on SAT Words in Context practice questions.
Want to know which SAT skills you are actually missing? Take the free diagnostic. No account needed to start.