contestar

Senses

1. 1.

   to contest, to challenge

   to dispute or question the validity of something (a decision, claim, or result)

2. 2.

   to answer back, to talk back

   to respond defiantly or argue against someone, especially an authority figure

3. 3.

   to answer, to respond

   to provide a response to questions or accusations (formal/legal context)

Examples

• "O advogado decidiu contestar a multa de trânsito."

  The lawyer decided to contest the traffic ticket.

• "Não conteste sua mãe!"

  Don't talk back to your mother!

• "A empresa contestou as acusações em tribunal."

  The company contested the accusations in court.

Usage

Common in both formal/legal contexts (contestar uma decisão, contestar um edital) and informal family settings (não me conteste = don't argue with me). The sense of "talking back" is very frequent in Brazilian Portuguese when referring to children or subordinates being defiant.