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controversies

noun

plural of controversy
1
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
2
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 The Sunderland penalty against Arsenal (and indeed various other controversies at the Stadium of Light on Saturday)? — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 International Boxing Association controversies Under Kremlev, the IBA faced extraordinary controversy. — ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026 The study also took into account FIRE’s assessment of campus speech policies and how schools responded to speech controversies. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026 Many have great concerns, based on ICE’s long history of use‑of‑force controversies, inadequate training and the medical risks. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026 The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, known as FIRE, ranked 261 colleges across the country based on student surveys, institutional policies and responses to speech controversies. — Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoma Voice, 11 Sep. 2026 Collins’ campaign controversies include ugly and ongoing antisemitic messages from a former aide and Collins’ own son-in-law. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 10 Sep. 2026 The Stars and Stripes jumped out to a 19-8 lead by the end of the first quarter and held on to win by a score of 55-52, though the contest wasn't without its fair share of lead changes and controversies. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026 During her time on stage, Raman described the controversies as a larger trend in the Bass administration. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversies
  1. disputes
  2. disputations
  3. disagreements
  4. debates
  5. quarrels
  6. differences
  7. altercations
  8. arguments
Noun
  • Gilbertson’s involvement in the ports grew out of a series of chaotic mergers that in the 1990s led to endless disputes among shippers and the railroads about whose cargo would move first.
    — John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Trump declined to endorse Thune for a future term as leader amid disputes over passing the SAVE America Act and eliminating the filibuster.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of disputes
Noun
  • 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
Definition of disputations
Noun
  • For example, in Ozaukee County disagreements near Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve have prompted discussion of permanent signs and a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources determination establishing the ordinary high-water mark.
    — Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Between small celebrations, hospital visits and disagreements about how to care for her, a mysterious presence of bulls begins to surround the house.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of disagreements
Noun
  • The current debates on consciousness, sentience, and AI would profit from a substantial input from philosophers who are familiar with that tradition.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2026
  • LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman says recent debates over whether to slow or accelerate the technology are missing something crucial.
    — Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of debates
Noun
  • On the new series, some House of Stassi castmembers raised their quarrels with Maloney joining their cast.
    — McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Candi is the family mediator Like any father-daughter coaching dynamic, Corey and Coco have had their fair share of quarrels on the tennis court.
    — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026
Definition of quarrels
Noun
  • Yet due to geography and time zone differences, local traders face a distinct natural disadvantage compared to their counterparts in New York, namely having to wake up three hours earlier.
    — , CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The two wives soon strike up a tentative friendship as Ye-ji expresses interest in telling Ho-seok’s story — but the group dynamic grows increasingly complicated by their extreme class differences and subtly conflicting desires.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of differences
Noun
  • Tchouameni and Valverde were involved in two separate altercations, a day apart, in May, with the latter taken to hospital to undergo assessments after sustaining a head injury during the second incident.
    — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • After marching from Crocker Park in downtown Sacramento, the protest groups engaged in verbal and physical altercations across a barricade formed by law enforcement officers.
    — Hannah Ruhoff, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • This, however, is the stuff of creative and useful future arguments.
    — Adam Frank, NPR, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Kanter could raise the same basic arguments in an arbitration, but it would be conducted in private, and awards by arbitrators are difficult to challenge in court because judges are obligated to give high deference to those awards.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of arguments

Browse Nearby Words

controversial
controversies
controversy
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Cite this Entry

“Controversies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversies. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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