STRUGGLE' A contending faction is a group of people who are in opposition to each other, often in a STRUGGLE for power or resources. The term 'contending faction' can be used to describe any two or more groups that are competing against each other, such as political parties, rival companies, or even sports teams. The crossword solution for the term 'contending faction' is 'SIDE, ' which implies that there are two sides to the conflict. This suggests that the contending factions are in a state of competition, with each SIDE striving to gain an advantage over the other.