controvert

verb

con·​tro·​vert ˈkän-trə-ˌvərt 

ˌkän-trə-ˈvərt

controverted; controverting; controverts

transitive verb

: to dispute or oppose by reasoning

controvert a point in a discussion

intransitive verb

: to engage in controversy

controverter

ˈkän-trə-ˌvər-tər 

ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-

noun

controvertible

ˈkän-trə-ˌvər-tə-bəl 

ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-

adjective

Synonyms

• altercate
• argue
• argufy
• bicker
• brabble
• brawl
• dispute
• fall out
• fight
• hassle
• jar
• quarrel
• quibble
• row
• scrap
• spat
• squabble
• tiff
• wrangle

Example Sentences

The attorney offered evidence that controverted the plaintiff's allegations.

ever since the poem was first published, critics and scholars have controverted over the meaning of its concluding lines

Recent Examples on the Web

During the upcoming weeks and through the appeal a slew of additional credible and controverting evidence will come to light. —Ben Shpigel, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2017

Word History

Etymology

controversy

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined at transitive sense