1) Allege 2) Altercate 3) Argue 4) Argufy 5) Aver 6) Brabble 7) Claim 8) Compete 9) Cope 10) Declare 11) Extemporize 12) Fend 13) Gainsay 14) Oppose 15) Pettifog 16) Played 17) Repugn 18) Stickle 19) Strive 20) Vie 1) Allege or vie 2) Argue 3) Assert 4) Be a competitive prisoner 5) Be engaged in a fight 6) Carry on a fight 7) Claim 8) Claim to know nurse 9) Claim you dispute 10) Come to terms with 11) Compete 12) Compete for something 13) Dispute strongly 14) Engage in a contest 15) French word used in English 
• (v. i.) To strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight. • (v. i.) To strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue. • (v. t.) To struggle for; to contest. • (v. i.) To struggle or exert one`s self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
[Verb] To compete for something.
Con·tend' intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Contended ; present participle & verbal noun Contending .] [ Old French contendre , Latin contendere , -tentum ; con- + tendere to strech. Se...Con·tend' transitive verb To struggle for; to contest. [ R.] « Carthage shall contend the world with Rome.Dryden.» 
[v] - maintain or assert
contend 1. To strive in combat or opposition; fight; struggle (to stretch out, to exert, to strive). 2. To strive in debate or in a controversy; to argue; to dispute. 3. To strive in competition; to compete; to vie for something. 4. To hold to a fact; to assert.
struggle verb be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight; `the tribesmen fought each other`; `Siblings are always fighting`; `Militant groups are contending for control of the country`
to struggle in opposition: to contend with the enemy for control of the port. · to strive in rivalry; compete; vie: to contend for first prize. · to strive in debate; dispute earnestly: to contend against falsehood.
[Social studies terms] compete for something[Intelligent words] compete for something