CONTROVERSIES Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

controversies

noun

plural of controversy

as in disputes

an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions the seemingly imperishable controversy over the teaching of evolution

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in disputations

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 show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of controversies Before the latest scandal dropped, a New York Times/Siena poll released June 29 showed the multiple controversies were beginning to erode Platner's base. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 9 July 2026 Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin took over the department in March with the aim of keeping it away from the controversies that had marked the tenure of his predecessor, Kristi Noem. — ABC News, 8 July 2026 While national and state Democrats have urged Platner to step aside, Payne said that Maine Democrats overwhelmingly nominated him in last month's primary despite earlier controversies. — Steve Inskeep, NPR, 7 July 2026 Fresh controversies over race and religion in public life are in the news. — Ryan J. Rusak, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026 The Politico report came after a string of other controversies for Platner, who had successfully batted them away ahead of the state’s June primary. — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 Some observers have drawn parallels to one of the most famous disciplinary controversies in World Cup history. — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 6 July 2026 Affairs, substance abuse, behind-the-scenes controversies, and so much more— these celebrity memoirs have it all. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 6 July 2026 But the Dodgers organization seems to always find itself in the middle of other off-field controversies, and last season was no exception. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversies

Noun

Herzog won a power struggle in the front office, then quit anyway, amid disputes with ownership.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
According to Castillo, one of the most significant failures has been the tendency to treat many squatter complaints as civil disputes rather than criminal investigations.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of disputes

Noun

Some states chose not to send representatives; several of them cited disagreements with the partisan mission.

— Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 3 July 2026
The city commission reached a major step forward on the project after months of delays and disagreements over the best way to replace the old City Hall, which was damaged beyond repair by the historic flooding of April 2023.

— Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026

Definition of disagreements

Noun

Bristol education officials have appointed a new principal of the city’s Bristol Central High School after weeks of contentious meetings and debates on the replacement process.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
Employees today are operating through a constant lens of disruption from artificial intelligence, to return-to-office debates, to shifting expectations around culture and leadership.

— Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of debates

Noun

Rounding out the top five names were seven write-in votes for the Sacramento Capitals or Capitols — which could be nicknamed the Caps to avoid quarrels over the spelling — and six votes for the Sacramento Stingers or Sting, referencing the collegiate Sacramento State Hornets.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
In a 2024 study, researchers found that chimpanzee mothers tended to step in to defend their children in quarrels—say, over food or space in a tree—in about half of cases the researchers observed in the wild.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 10 May 2026

Definition of quarrels

Noun

But that’s not the same as asserting that the physical differences between males and females invariably mean that men will invariably prevail over women in all competitions or that their participation will endanger women.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Local analyses of districts throughout the state, such as Miami-Dade, document who uses vouchers, patterns of movement between public and private schools, and demographic differences.

— Kendall Deas, The Conversation, 6 July 2026

Definition of differences

Noun

Multiple officials say that players are advised, outside of training sessions, to remain in the hotel complexes at all times to avoid any risk of altercations or safety risks in public.

— Adam Crafton, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Two people were stabbed during separate altercations and multiple arrests were made.

— Tim Fang, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Definition of altercations

Noun

During closing arguments Monday, Deputy District Attorney Daniel Gochnour said GPS data placed Vasquez’s phone at the site of both fires around the time each was reported.

— Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
On Monday afternoon, the judge read the jury charge, giving the panel their instructions for deliberations, and attorneys for both sides made their closing arguments.

— Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026

Definition of arguments

Browse Nearby Words

controversial

controversies

controversy

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Controversies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversies. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of controversies

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on controversies

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

xeric

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes