# contention vs contrition

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### contention
*noun · IPA /kənˈtɛnʃən/ · frequency rank #10,671*
Argument, contest, debate, strife, struggle.

### contrition
*noun · IPA /kənˈtɹɪʃən/ · frequency rank #45,859*
The state of being contrite; sincere penitence or remorse.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contention-vs-contrition