dispute

1 of 2

verb

dis·​pute di-ˈspyüt 

disputed; disputing

intransitive verb

: to engage in argument : debate

especially : to argue irritably or with irritating persistence

transitive verb

1

a

: to make the subject of verbal controversy or disputation

Legislators hotly disputed the bill.

b

: to call into question or cast doubt upon

Her honesty was never disputed.

The witness disputed the defendant's claim.

2

a

: to struggle against : oppose

disputed the advance of the invaders

b

: to contend over

disputing ownership of the land

disputable

di-ˈspyü-tə-bəl 

ˈdi-spyə-

adjective

disputably

di-ˈspyü-tə-blē 

ˈdi-spyə-

adverb

disputer noun

dispute

2 of 2

noun

dis·​pute di-ˈspyüt  ˈdi-ˌspyüt 

1

a

: verbal controversy : debate

a dispute about what to do with the surplus

a landlord-tenant dispute

legal disputes

The matter is still in dispute.

b

: quarrel

Police were called to a domestic dispute.

2

obsolete : physical combat

Synonyms

Verb

• question
• challenge
• contest

Noun

• controversy
• disputation
• debate
• disagreement

Examples of dispute in a Sentence

Verb

You can dispute your bill if you believe it is inaccurate.

These estimates are hotly disputed by scientists.

No one ever disputed that it was the right decision.

The source of the text has been disputed for centuries.

a part of the city where two drug gangs are disputing territory

Noun

They could not settle their dispute.

There is a labor dispute between workers and management.

The two farmers are involved in a land dispute.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Jim Trusty, Rozier’s attorney, strongly disputed the accusations, saying that prosecutors characterized Rozier as a subject of their investigation and not a target. —Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025

Others dispute that, saying a quick resumption of diplomacy isn’t still likely given how much has changed since 2019 — both the size of North Korea’s nuclear program and its foreign policy leverage. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025

Noun

The streaming service lost 21 channels after the live TV provider's contract dispute with The Walt Disney Company ended in an impasse. —Jenny Porter Tilley, Louisville Courier Journal, 31 Oct. 2025

Musk, who helped start OpenAI in 2015, is in a heated legal dispute with Altman and now runs competing artificial intelligence startup xAI. —Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French desputer, from Latin disputare to discuss, from dis- + putare to think

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing dispute

• beyond dispute
• in dispute
• open to dispute
• territorial dispute

Rhymes for dispute

• acute
• aleut
• astute
• beetroot
• breadfruit
• cheroot
• commute
• compute
• confute
• dilute
• elute
• grapefruit

Kids Definition

dispute

1 of 2 verb

dis·​pute dis-ˈpyüt 

disputed; disputing

1

: to engage in argument : debate

2

: to quarrel angrily : wrangle

3

: to question the truth or rightness of

dispute a statement

4

: to fight over : contest

the two nations disputed the territory

disputer noun

dispute

2 of 2 noun

1

: argument sense 1b, debate

2

: an angry difference of opinion : quarrel

Legal Definition

dispute

1 of 2 verb

dis·​pute di-ˈspyüt 

disputed; disputing

intransitive verb

: to engage in a dispute

disputing with management over contract terms

transitive verb

: to engage in a dispute over

disputing the correct application of the contract provision

especially : to oppose by argument or assertion

disputed changes to the grievance procedure

disputable

di-ˈspyü-tə-bəl, ˈdis-pyə-tə-bəl 

adjective

dispute

2 of 2 noun

: an assertion of opposing views or claims : a disagreement as to rights

especially : one that is the subject of proceedings for resolution (as arbitration)