Complacent vs Contend - What's the difference?
complacent | contend |
Uncritically satisfied with oneself or one's achievements; smug.
Apathetic with regard to an apparent need or problem.
to strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
* Bible, Deuteronomy ii. 9
* Shakespeare
to struggle or exert one's self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
* Dryden
to strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.
* John Locke
* Dr H. More
As an adjective complacent
is uncritically satisfied with oneself or one's achievements; smug.As a verb contend is
to strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.complacent
English
Adjective
(en adjective)Usage notes
* (term) should not be confused with its homophone, complaisant.Synonyms
* smug * self-satisfiedDerived terms
* (l) * self-complacentExternal links
* * ----contend
English
(Webster 1913)Verb
(en verb)- The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle.
- For never two such kingdoms did contend without much fall of blood.
- You sit above, and see vain men below / Contend for what you only can bestow.
- The question which our author would contend for.
- Many things he fiercely contended about were trivial.