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
Those deployments were politically controversial at the time, especially to those in the South who wanted to preserve the Jim Crow system of segregation.
—
Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
Employees who dive into controversial topics and engage in risky behavior online are playing with fire ‒ and need to carefully and proactively consider the bigger picture.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, marking the end of a turbulent tenure defined by bold moves, fan unrest, and a season that spiraled after the controversial Luka Dončić trade.
—Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Instead of the title race, the talk centered around controversial calls and a lack of VAR.
—Emily Olsen, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for controversial
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Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
Employees who dive into controversial topics and engage in risky behavior online are playing with fire ‒ and need to carefully and proactively consider the bigger picture.
—Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, marking the end of a turbulent tenure defined by bold moves, fan unrest, and a season that spiraled after the controversial Luka Dončić trade.
—Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Instead of the title race, the talk centered around controversial calls and a lack of VAR.
—Emily Olsen, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for controversial
Cite this Entry
“Controversial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/controversial. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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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