contended
con-tend-ed
verb
Fought or competed for something, often against an opponent or difficulty.
"They contended for the championship title."
verb
Stated or argued a point or belief, often in a formal discussion.
"The lawyer contended his client was innocent."
Thesaurus
Synonyms: contend, postulate, grapple, make do, make out, manage, deal, cope, get by, vie, compete, contest