bone of contention

Meaning

A subject, issue, or decision over which there is continuing disagreement, dispute, or argument between people. It acts as the core source of conflict.

Examples

• The division of household chores has always been a bone of contention between the two roommates.

  The division of household chores has always been a bone of contention between the two roommates.

• The budget allocation for marketing remains a major bone of contention in our weekly meetings.

  The budget allocation for marketing remains a major bone of contention in our weekly meetings.

• Who gets to inherit the old family home is a painful bone of contention among the siblings.

  Who gets to inherit the old family home is a painful bone of contention among the siblings.

• The height of the new fence became a bitter bone of contention between the neighbors.

  The height of the new fence became a bitter bone of contention between the neighbors.

• Whether to spend the holidays with his parents or hers is a constant bone of contention.

  Whether to spend the holidays with his parents or hers is a constant bone of contention.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We had a big bone of contention yesterday about where to eat.

  ✓ The choice of restaurant was a bone of contention between us yesterday.

  'Bone of contention' is the subject or issue of the argument, not the argument itself. You don't 'have a bone of contention'; rather, something 'is' a bone of contention.

• ✗ The money was a bone of attention during their divorce.

  ✓ The money was a bone of contention during their divorce.

  Do not confuse 'contention' (disagreement) with 'attention' due to their similar sounds.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The location of the new office is a major ___ of contention among the staff.

  💡 Think of dogs fighting over something hard

  Show answer

  bone

• How to raise the children has become a constant bone of ___ between them.

  💡 A formal word for disagreement or dispute

  Show answer

  contention