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 Marshall’s campaign, in turn, faced an onslaught of controversies that his critics amplified in the race’s final weeks, including his medical debt collection practices and the blurred lines between his office and campaign staff. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026 Both candidates faced controversies throughout the campaign, including a dispute over a May traffic stop in which Lombardo was pulled over for allegedly running a red light in Las Vegas. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026 As the counting of ballots continues, voting rights advocates are now looking ahead to any potential controversies over close races and the certification of results. — Miles Parks, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026 Paxton had weathered numerous controversies and was impeached by the state House in 2023 on allegations of bribery, obstruction of justice and abuse of trust. — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026 The controversies reflected national debates over education that have played out in local schools. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026 Hazelbaker previously turned down the role In the ten months since Wong’s departure, OpenAI has experienced a series of public controversies—most notably when its AI agents hacked the company Hugging Face during training in July. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2026 But polls showed a close race as Collins' campaign has been marred by several controversies and the congressman has also faced some heat over his support for the generally unpopular war in Iran. — Deena Zaru, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026 What readers are saying The conversation explores the complexities and controversies surrounding a rancher's decision to sell shares of his cattle herd, which led to regulatory scrutiny. — Abby Shalekbriski, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversies
  1. disputes
  2. disputations
  3. disagreements
  4. debates
  5. quarrels
  6. differences
  7. altercations
  8. arguments
Noun
  • China’s expanding naval capabilities could alter regional military calculations, particularly in areas where maritime disputes and competing territorial claims already exist.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • With first-party fraud and friendly disputes eroding already thin retail margins, managing chargebacks requires far more than basic operational recovery.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of disputes
Noun
  • This contestation takes place through philosophical debates, religious disputations, and public discussions, whether direct or indirect, open or clandestine.
    — Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
  • 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
  • But deep disagreements over territory and security guarantees that re-emerged this week underscore obstacles to ending the war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Both blame each other for the fiery fights, with Lago saying that disagreements between commissioners used to be more civil before Castro and Commissioner Ariel Fernandez were elected in 2023.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of disagreements
Noun
  • All of these debates will have to contend with big questions about specific policies, from China and the Middle East to AI and defense spending.
    — Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Ultimately, no debates materialized, reflecting a broader statewide trend in which major general election debates were bypassed.
    — Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of debates
Noun
  • The overtones of social significance are adroitly handled and make real sense in an era of tragic international quarrels.
    — THR Staff, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Unlike Christian priests and medicine men, who generally command respect, rainmakers are sometimes seen as malicious people who retaliate against whole communities for quarrels with their neighbors.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of quarrels
Noun
  • Doing so enhances the slight color differences in these rocks, allowing researchers to pick out the different minerals.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • There are, of course, obvious differences between soldiers and agents, for whom a readiness to kill on behalf of the state is generally understood to be a more distant prospect.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of differences
Noun
  • Parks workers who don't comply with the new policy could face discipline, officials said, adding, the policy also instructs them to not engage in any verbal or physical altercations with ICE agents.
    — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Other witnesses, including friends of Smith and Parker, recalled past altercations between the couple.
    — Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • The defendant’s attorney asked for the hearing for the judge to listen to arguments and determine whether to set bail for Guzman.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Oral arguments Several of the conservative justices repeatedly raised concerns that the nondiscrimination rule was effectively a back-door way to keep religious entities out of the universal preschool program.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of arguments

Browse Nearby Words

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controversies
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Cite this Entry

“Controversies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversies. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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