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
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Recent Examples of controversies
Other cases Not all the big controversies at the court this term are focused on the powers of the president.
—
Nina Totenberg, NPR, 6 Oct. 2025
Swift has always been known to use her songs not only to tell personal stories but also to reference figures from pop culture, her romantic life, and past controversies.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Miley Cyrus is looking back on some of the controversies that marked her early career.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2025
This year’s controversies focus on three dominant themes.
—Morgan Marietta, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
Cawthorn has faced a series of controversies.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025
These issues are not unique to the WNBA, as its affiliate league, the NBA, has weathered refereeing controversies and skirmishes over player pay for years.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Will Lazarus have the stomach for uncomfortable political speech controversies that come with running an ideological media company like MSNBC?
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 28 Sep. 2025
The former football star played just two seasons in the NFL before his off-the-field controversies like drug use and domestic violence accusations portrayed him as a liability to teams.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Nina Totenberg, NPR, 6 Oct. 2025
Swift has always been known to use her songs not only to tell personal stories but also to reference figures from pop culture, her romantic life, and past controversies.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Miley Cyrus is looking back on some of the controversies that marked her early career.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2025
This year’s controversies focus on three dominant themes.
—Morgan Marietta, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
Cawthorn has faced a series of controversies.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025
These issues are not unique to the WNBA, as its affiliate league, the NBA, has weathered refereeing controversies and skirmishes over player pay for years.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Will Lazarus have the stomach for uncomfortable political speech controversies that come with running an ideological media company like MSNBC?
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 28 Sep. 2025
The former football star played just two seasons in the NFL before his off-the-field controversies like drug use and domestic violence accusations portrayed him as a liability to teams.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversies
Noun
-
King Charles' younger son initiated the litigation in October 2019, signaling a shift in his approach to the British press — a stark departure from the royal family’s historic restraint regarding media disputes.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The lawsuit follows a series of high-profile disputes over how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its subagency FEMA distribute homeland security grants.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 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
Noun
-
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
-
Senior Hamas officials suggested there were still major disagreements that required further negotiations.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In an era when misinformation travels faster than facts and contentious debates make headlines daily, that function becomes not merely valuable but essential.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The drama ran on the CW network from 2007 to 2012 and—also not hyperbole—defined a generation while still inspiring spirited debates and yearly rewatches by both devoted fans and curious newcomers.—
María Mérida,
Glamour,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
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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Across Jefferson County Public Schools, the ban is being credited for an uptick in library books being checked out, an increase in student participation and a decrease in altercations.—
Krista Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Hip-Hop has equally thrived on legendary quarrels and strong relationships.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
However, lovers’ quarrels or difficulty dealing with children (hissy fits or meltdowns) might occur.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Both sides will submit fuller legal arguments and the Department of Homeland Security may be ordered to produce its internal decision record.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Augustine rose quickly, dazzling as a public advocate, trading arguments with Christians and skeptics alike.—
Shai Tubali,
Big Think,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Let’s tie it all together by predicting that the first meeting of the season between Toronto and Philadelphia gets well and truly out of control … which by today’s standards means there are three fights in the game.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Unions, fights, and trash – oh my!—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Controversies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversies. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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