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Contend vs Participate - What's the difference?

contend | participate |

As verbs the difference between contend and participate

is that contend is to strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight while participate is to join in, to take part, to involve oneself ({{term|in}} something).

As an adjective participate is

acting in common; participating.

contend

English

(Webster 1913)

Verb

(en verb)
  • to strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
  • * Bible, Deuteronomy ii. 9
    • The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle.
  • * Shakespeare
    • For never two such kingdoms did contend without much fall of blood.
  • to struggle or exert one's self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
  • * Dryden
    • You sit above, and see vain men below / Contend for what you only can bestow.
  • to strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.
  • * John Locke
    • The question which our author would contend for.
  • * Dr H. More
    • Many things he fiercely contended about were trivial.

    Synonyms

    * struggle, fight, combat, vie, strive, oppose, emulate, contest, litigate, dispute, debate

    Related terms

    * contender * contention * contentious

    External links

    * *

    participate

    English

    Verb

    (participat)
  • To join in, to take part, to involve oneself ((in) something).
  • (obsolete) To share, share in (something).
  • * 1638 , , Some Yeares Travels , I:
    • they seldome feed together, lest they might participate one anothers impurity: each has his owne cup [...].
  • (obsolete) To share (something) (with) others; to transfer (something) (to) or (unto) others.
  • * 1662 , Thomas Salusbury, Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief Systems of the World , II:
    • Make the Earth [...] turn round its own axis in twenty four hours, and towards the same point with all the other Spheres; and without participating this same motion to any other Planet or Star.

    Related terms

    * participant * participation * participative * participator * participatory * participial * participle

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (obsolete) Acting in common; participating.
  • * 1608 , , I. i. 101:
    • And, mutually participate , did minister / Unto the appetite and affection common / Of the whole body.

    External links

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