1
as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
the seemingly imperishable controversy over the teaching of evolution
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in debate
variance of opinion on a matter
there is considerable controversy regarding the assassination of President Kennedy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of controversy
Since the release of AI YoungBoy in 2017, YoungBoy has been the subject of fascination on the internet, leading to both streams and controversy.
—
Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
Another statue, another controversy.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Following June’s announcement of a September release, Cardi handled the controversy with Jeter-like precision.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025
In recent years, Rowling has attracted considerable controversy for making anti-transgender comments, as well as her support for others with transphobic views, while Watson and Radcliffe have both publicly expressed support for the transgender community.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
Another statue, another controversy.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Following June’s announcement of a September release, Cardi handled the controversy with Jeter-like precision.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025
In recent years, Rowling has attracted considerable controversy for making anti-transgender comments, as well as her support for others with transphobic views, while Watson and Radcliffe have both publicly expressed support for the transgender community.
—Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversy
Noun
-
The Palladinos departed after Season 6 due to contract disputes with WB, and David Rosenthal stepped in as showrunner and head writer.—
Anna Tingley,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The dispute occurred during a hearing on a Republican bill to ban public funds for health care for undocumented immigrants.—
Jessie Opoien,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That leaves places such as Apache County in limbo in a debate centered over keeping government fully operational at existing funding levels and revising health insurance coverage for poor and working-class Americans.—
Ronald J. Hansen,
AZCentral.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Long history of policy changes Police chases in Milwaukee have been a frequent topic of debate in the city, and the policy dictating them is intertwined with the city's reckless driving issues.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Hubert Mazur, Ray Collins and Jocelyne Robledo were also detained at the protests after engaging in physical altercations with federal officers, according to the court documents.—
Mason Leath,
ABC News,
29 Sep. 2025
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After the pursuit, Reeve appeared to engage in a verbal altercation with the game official.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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According to him, advances in machine learning have yanked questions once trapped inside theological/philosophical disputations into corporate board packs.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Aug. 2025
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Jake is a single father who has brought Kristen up in the severe Calvinist tradition, marked by Bible disputations of Talmudic intricacy and by a radical detachment from secular and popular culture.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2023
Noun
-
An even more crucial disagreement is over the party’s relationship to electoral politics.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
4 Oct. 2025
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Other federal agencies have crafted similarly partisan messages from the typically apolitical civil service amid a legislative standoff largely over disagreements related to health care cuts.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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However, lovers’ quarrels or difficulty dealing with children (hissy fits or meltdowns) might occur.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The outcome of that long-simmering family quarrel is never really in much doubt, but there are still a few neat surprises involving a couple of rare bottles of whiskey and the fate of two family businesses.—
Stephen Farber,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
McNeill said one argument in favor of the EV sector continuing to grow is the vehicles’ increasing utility far beyond transportation.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
4 Oct. 2025
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Here's a look at both arguments.—
Todd Spangler,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Congressional Democrats have not sought to change that, at least not in the current spending fight.—
Todd Spangler,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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The administration has also called out the arrest of Sortor, a 27-year-old conservative influencer, amid protests outside the ICE facility in Portland during what police characterized as a fight.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Controversy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversy. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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