contested
v. B2 Upper Intermediate US //kənˈtɛstəd// UK //kəntˈɛstɪd// con·test·ed
v. describes something that people disagree about or argue over. You use it when there is no single answer that everyone accepts.
v. subject to dispute or intense disagreement. Often describes concepts, results, or territories where multiple parties claim validity or ownership.
The results of the close election are still contested.
The border between the two countries remains a contested area, with both sides claiming historical rights to the land.
In academic circles, the exact causes of the empire's collapse remain a highly contested topic, with historians debating the relative impact of economic decay versus external invasion.
Usage
Commonly used as a participial adjective before a noun or after a linking verb.