polemic

noun po·lem·ic \ pə-ˈle-mik \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of polemic

1 a : an aggressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of another

b : the art or practice of disputation or controversy —usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

2 : an aggressive controversialist : disputant

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polemicist

play \pə-ˈle-mə-sist\ noun

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Examples of polemic in a Sentence

Her book is a fierce polemic against the inequalities in our society.
They managed to discuss the issues without resorting to polemics.

Recent Examples of polemic from the Web

In the run-up to the election on April 8th, Mr Orban has drowned out allegations of government corruption with polemics against immigration.

— The Economist, "The EU is tolerating—and enabling—authoritarian kleptocracy in Hungary," 5 Apr. 2018
Composer-performers are back on the rise (see: Adès, Thomas) and the once-fierce polemics around myths of musical progress have, in most places, all but disappeared.

— jeremy eichler, BostonGlobe.com, "Bernstein centenary returns ‘Kaddish’ to Symphony Hall," 16 Mar. 2018
In between them, San Diego developer Douglas Manchester put his polemic editorial stamp on the paper.

— sandiegouniontribune.com, "What does potential sale mean for the Union-Tribune's independence?," 7 Feb. 2018
Appropriately angry polemics would have been written denouncing the public menace of this Big Brother in the sky.

— steven johnson, New York Times, "Beyond the Bitcoin Bubble," 16 Jan. 2018
There is a calm about him that is a refreshing counter to the polemic and hyperbole that characterizes discussion of culture-war issues in this age of social media.

— nr interview, National Review, "Capturing a Spiritual Father’s Freedom and Wisdom," 12 Jan. 2018
There may be cogent answers to this and related questions, but Mr. Buckley’s buoyant polemic doesn’t stop to consider them.

— barton swaim, WSJ, "Review: Corrupting the Body Politic," 14 Dec. 2017
The result is a book that substitutes a giddy openness in place of the stark political polemics that characterize so many contemporary essays on gender and race.

— ismail muhammad, Slate Magazine, "Durga Chew-Bose’s dense, meticulous writing on identity politics feels like a corrective for our current political moment.," 14 Apr. 2017
The book, which harkens back to such films as Gaslight, is a polemic for the current cultural climate that questions female witnesses, doubling as a high-stakes cat-and-mouse caper and a fable about the fate of the woman witness.

— tatiana siegel, The Hollywood Reporter, "Ben Silverman Nabs Ripped-From-Headlines Book 'Poison' for TV (Exclusive)," 20 Nov. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'polemic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

When polemic was borrowed into English from French polemique in the mid-17th century, it referred (as it still can) to a type of hostile attack on someone's ideas. The word traces back to Greek polemikos, which means "warlike" or "hostile" and in turn comes from the Greek noun polemos, meaning "war." Other, considerably less common descendants of polemos in English include polemarch ("a chieftain or military commander in ancient Greece"), polemoscope (a kind of binoculars with an oblique mirror), and polemology ("the study of war").

Origin and Etymology of polemic

French polémique, from Middle French, from polemique controversial, from Greek polemikos warlike, hostile, from polemos war; perhaps akin to Greek pelemizein to shake, Old English ealfelo baleful

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First Known Use: 1626

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POLEMIC Defined for English Language Learners

polemic

noun

Definition of polemic for English Language Learners

: a strong written or spoken attack against someone else's opinions, beliefs, practices, etc.
polemics : the art or practice of using language to defend or harshly criticize something or someone