controversial
adjective
con·tro·ver·sial
ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-shəl 
-ˈvər-sē-əl
1
: of, relating to, or arousing controversy
a controversial policy
a controversial film
2
: given to controversy : disputatious
a controversial temperament
The controversial biologist caused a ferment among his colleagues.
controversially
adverb
Examples of controversial in a Sentence
Abortion is a highly controversial subject.
a decision that remains controversial
He is a controversial author.
Recent Examples on the Web
The legislature passed House Bill 2 on April 1, after a Senate committee and free conference committee made several changes to the legislation, walking back many of its most controversial aspects.
—
Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Apr. 2026
The project, which was announced by the White House in July, became a highly controversial undertaking when the East Wing was suddenly demolished to accommodate the 90,000 square foot ballroom.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
According to Scribner, students at a nearby university put together a float, filled it with books by Luther’s theological opponents, and promptly set it ablaze while singing the popular but controversial song O, poor Judas.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
The brick structure was turned into a restaurant in the 1980s and a controversial after-hours dance club in the 1990s.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for controversial
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Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Apr. 2026
The project, which was announced by the White House in July, became a highly controversial undertaking when the East Wing was suddenly demolished to accommodate the 90,000 square foot ballroom.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
According to Scribner, students at a nearby university put together a float, filled it with books by Luther’s theological opponents, and promptly set it ablaze while singing the popular but controversial song O, poor Judas.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
The brick structure was turned into a restaurant in the 1980s and a controversial after-hours dance club in the 1990s.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for controversial
Cite this Entry
“Controversial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/controversial. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
controversial
adjective
con·tro·ver·sial
ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-shəl
-ˈvər-sē-əl
: relating to or causing controversy
a controversial movie
controversially
adverb
-ē
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