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Preposition after adjective

Contending with or contending for?

Contending with means struggling against something. Contending for means competing to obtain something.

Quick answer

How do these patterns differ?

Use contending with for difficulties, opponents, or conditions. Use contending for for prizes, positions, or goals.

The company is contending with rising costs.
Several teams are contending for the title.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
contending with + problem/opponent

Facing difficulties or resistance

With introduces the thing someone struggles against.

Residents are contending with severe flooding.
2
contending for + prize/position

Competing to win something

For introduces the goal or reward of the competition.

Three candidates are contending for the role.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
contending with
She is contending with a heavy workload.
dealing with or struggling against
contending for
They are contending for first place.
competing to obtain

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using for with problems

Use with when describing difficulties.

✕ We are contending for technical issues. ✓ We are contending with technical issues.

Using with for a prize

Use for when the focus is a goal or reward.

✕ The teams are contending with the championship. ✓ The teams are contending for the championship.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The town is contending ___ water shortages.
2. Several athletes are contending ___ a medal.
3. The company is contending ___ strong competition.

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Frequently asked questions

Is contending mainly formal?

It is more formal than competing or dealing with.

Can contending with refer to people?

Yes. It can describe conflict with opponents or rivals.

What is the base verb?

The base verb is contend.

calm, in, calm, for, calm, about "candid about" or "candid in"? capable of or in? careful about, with, of, in or on? careless about, with, in, of or on? caribbean in, for, with, to or on? "catastrophic for" or "catastrophic to"? "cautious about" or "cautious in"? celtic in, for, on, at or to? central to, in, for, at or of? "certain of" or "certain about"? "challenging for" or "challenging of"?

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