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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

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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 In recent months, OpenAI has become faster at responding to public controversies. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026 The vote will occur amid a collection of controversies and arrives at the end of a summer that has cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. — Josh Bergeron, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026 While gaining a seat in Texas has long been a far-off dream for Democrats, Paxton’s controversies have dogged him during the race. — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026 Max weathered various controversies in his personal and professional life. — Beth J. Harpaz The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026 These aren’t breaking revelations for what is — for a certain generation, at least — one of the late 20th century’s most shocking and widely-discussed controversies. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversies
  1. disputes
  2. disputations
  3. disagreements
  4. debates
  5. quarrels
  6. differences
  7. altercations
  8. arguments
Noun
  • Perhaps sport’s more important diplomatic contribution isn’t resolving disputes at all.
    — Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The Johannesburg Crisis Alliance has blamed the disruptions on labor disputes, financial constraints, and an aging fleet.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 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
  • Working with Minhaj and Venkataramanujam, both first-time feature writers, meant frequent creative disagreements, Khan says, but never without purpose.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The issue has been especially contentious in Northern Virginia, where disagreements over bathrooms, locker rooms, pronouns and parental notification have prompted clashes between state officials and local school boards.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of disagreements
Noun
  • Since the drama over debates erupted last week, Jolly’s position appears to have evolved into an ideological one — and a view that almost no other candidate on the Democratic ticket has publicly agreed with.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026
  • California’s 176-page voter guide is dense with ballot measure legalese, policy debates and obscure candidates for statewide office.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of debates
Noun
  • 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
  • On the new series, some House of Stassi castmembers raised their quarrels with Maloney joining their cast.
    — McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of quarrels
Noun
  • Fusion signatures face scrutiny The researchers also found temperature differences between the active reactor and a calibration device operating under comparable input-power conditions.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026
  • In the context of Texas, these differences might not have mattered, since the Jews, like other citizens of the fast-growing state, were adept at absorbing immigrants.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of differences
Noun
  • Domestic altercations can quickly spin out of control, making them among the most dangerous types of calls.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • The slew of events begins with a formal arrival ceremony later on Wednesday, just as a judge is expected to hear arguments in a lawsuit brought by the three news outlets the president banned from the White House last week.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Prosecutors and the defense rested their cases after closing arguments concluded on Thursday.
    — Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 22 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 25 Sep. 2026.

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