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reñido

hard-fought; close (contest)

adjective rreh-NYEE-doh Rare

Origin: Past participle of reñir (to quarrel, scold), from Latin ringere.

Also means

bitter; hostile

Usage Note

Reñido primarily describes a contest that is fiercely competitive and closely matched — una batalla muy reñida — and is the standard sports journalism term for a tight match. It can also describe a relationship that is estranged or on bad terms: están reñidos (they have fallen out). These two senses are quite different, so context is key.

Examples

"Fue un partido muy reñido hasta el último minuto."

Natural Translation

It was a very hard-fought match until the last minute.

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