territorial dispute
noun
: a disagreement about who controls a particular territory
The two countries are in a territorial dispute.
Examples of territorial dispute in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Philippines also has a long-running territorial dispute with China over islands in the South China Sea.
—
Angelica Ang, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
The outlet reported that nine people, including a baby, were killed on the beach last month during instances of violence which local police attributed to the ongoing territorial dispute between the groups.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
That was more than a decade after China had wielded the materials as a weapon against Tokyo during a 2010 territorial dispute.
—Josh Xiao Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 7 Jan. 2026
The territorial dispute dates back to a long history of kingdom rivalry.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 16 Dec. 2025
Advertisement Pakistan and India’s territorial dispute over Kashmir is deep-seated, stemming from the 1947 British partition of India, which established the borders between Pakistan and India.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 12 Nov. 2025
As with Bir Tawil, these western pockets of land would go to whichever country loses the larger territorial dispute.
—Richard Collett, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Venezuela also remains locked in a territorial dispute with Guyana over the oil-rich Essequibo region.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
The Venezuelan defense minister’s accusations come against the backdrop of the long-running territorial dispute over the Essequibo region, a resource-rich area claimed by both Venezuela and Guyana.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
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Angelica Ang, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
The outlet reported that nine people, including a baby, were killed on the beach last month during instances of violence which local police attributed to the ongoing territorial dispute between the groups.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
That was more than a decade after China had wielded the materials as a weapon against Tokyo during a 2010 territorial dispute.
—Josh Xiao Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 7 Jan. 2026
The territorial dispute dates back to a long history of kingdom rivalry.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 16 Dec. 2025
Advertisement Pakistan and India’s territorial dispute over Kashmir is deep-seated, stemming from the 1947 British partition of India, which established the borders between Pakistan and India.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 12 Nov. 2025
As with Bir Tawil, these western pockets of land would go to whichever country loses the larger territorial dispute.
—Richard Collett, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Venezuela also remains locked in a territorial dispute with Guyana over the oil-rich Essequibo region.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
The Venezuelan defense minister’s accusations come against the backdrop of the long-running territorial dispute over the Essequibo region, a resource-rich area claimed by both Venezuela and Guyana.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Territorial dispute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/territorial%20dispute. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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