territorial dispute
noun
: a disagreement about who controls a particular territory
The two countries are in a territorial dispute.
Examples of territorial dispute in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Formed in Pakistan, the Sunni Muslim militant group is predominant in the Kashmir region, which has been involved in an often-bloody territorial dispute since the partition of India and Pakistan as the British left the subcontinent in 1947 after 300 years of colonial rule.
—
Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 6 Mar. 2026
In 2012, Chinese crowds gathered for anti-Japan protests over a territorial dispute, smashed Japanese brand cars and vandalized Japanese restaurants.
—Chan Ho-Him, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
The outlet reported that nine people, including a baby, were killed on the beach last month during instances of violence which local police attributed to the ongoing territorial dispute between the groups.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
That was more than a decade after China had wielded the materials as a weapon against Tokyo during a 2010 territorial dispute.
—Josh Xiao Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 7 Jan. 2026
That was more than a decade after China had wielded the materials as a weapon against Tokyo during a 2010 territorial dispute.
—Alastair Gale, Bloomberg, 6 Jan. 2026
The territorial dispute dates back to a long history of kingdom rivalry.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 16 Dec. 2025
Advertisement Pakistan and India’s territorial dispute over Kashmir is deep-seated, stemming from the 1947 British partition of India, which established the borders between Pakistan and India.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 12 Nov. 2025
As with Bir Tawil, these western pockets of land would go to whichever country loses the larger territorial dispute.
—Richard Collett, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
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Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 6 Mar. 2026
In 2012, Chinese crowds gathered for anti-Japan protests over a territorial dispute, smashed Japanese brand cars and vandalized Japanese restaurants.
—Chan Ho-Him, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
The outlet reported that nine people, including a baby, were killed on the beach last month during instances of violence which local police attributed to the ongoing territorial dispute between the groups.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
That was more than a decade after China had wielded the materials as a weapon against Tokyo during a 2010 territorial dispute.
—Josh Xiao Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 7 Jan. 2026
That was more than a decade after China had wielded the materials as a weapon against Tokyo during a 2010 territorial dispute.
—Alastair Gale, Bloomberg, 6 Jan. 2026
The territorial dispute dates back to a long history of kingdom rivalry.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 16 Dec. 2025
Advertisement Pakistan and India’s territorial dispute over Kashmir is deep-seated, stemming from the 1947 British partition of India, which established the borders between Pakistan and India.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 12 Nov. 2025
As with Bir Tawil, these western pockets of land would go to whichever country loses the larger territorial dispute.
—Richard Collett, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Territorial dispute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/territorial%20dispute. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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