4
confrontational(adjective, difficult, hostile, antagonistic, aggressive)
4
contrary(noun, adjective, mean, nasty, difficult)
4
crabbed(adjective, cross, emotional, vulnerable, touchy)
4
harsh(adjective, hostile, conflicting, belligerent, quarrelsome)
4
hawkish(adjective, energetic, violent, hostile, antagonistic)
4
ill-tempered(adjective, cross, short-tempered)
4
independent
4
inimical(mean, nasty, hostile, unfriendly, antagonistic)
4
ornery(adjective, mean, sharp, nasty, difficult)
4
perverse(adjective, argumentative, quarrelsome)
4
radical
4
savage(adjective, hostile, belligerent, quarrelsome)
4
surly(adjective, mean, nasty, difficult, cross)
4
tense(adjective, cross, emotional, vulnerable, touchy)
4
unpeaceful
3
antipathetic(adjective, conflicting)
3
arguable(adjective, doubtful, dubious, questionable, provocative)
3
competitive(adjective, mean, nasty, unfriendly, hateful)
3
crotchety(adjective, cross, emotional, vulnerable, touchy)
3
crusty
11 years ago|17k views|share |citing 
APASmart Define. (2015). contentious thesaurus. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from https://smartdefine.org/contentious/thesaurus/synonyms
ChicagoSmart Define. 2015. "contentious thesaurus" https://smartdefine.org/contentious/thesaurus/synonyms (accessed September 20, 2026).
HarvardSmart Define 2015, contentious thesaurus, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <https://smartdefine.org/contentious/thesaurus/synonyms>.
MLASmart Define. "contentious thesaurus" 13 April 2015. Web. 20 September 2026. <https://smartdefine.org/contentious/thesaurus/synonyms>