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
National news remains fixated on controversies at elite campuses, skewing the public’s perception of the institutions that serve the majority of students.
—
Yolanda Watson Spiva, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Several controversies have circled the production, including criticism from Paris Jackson.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Nov. 2025
Swinney wondered aloud at his media availability why officials aren’t held more accountable and pointed to controversies around gambling.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
The arrest marks another extraordinary revelation involving Ray County, a mostly rural county northeast of Kansas City that has faced a series of high-profile controversies in recent years.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
The issues come during a notably eventful DWTS season, with controversies surrounding contestant exits, accusations of favoritism and social media conflicts already drawing widespread attention.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Before her controversies, soccer goalie Hope Solo participated in the show's 13th season.
—Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
But the monarch had no choice – Andrew’s controversies have been dogging the family for years and the publication of his accuser’s posthumous memoir was the final straw.
—Max Foster, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
But the absence of genuine romance this season, coupled with several controversies over the past few years, has fueled disdain for the series from some fans who say the show has become unwatchable.
—Amina Kilpatrick, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
Yolanda Watson Spiva, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Several controversies have circled the production, including criticism from Paris Jackson.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Nov. 2025
Swinney wondered aloud at his media availability why officials aren’t held more accountable and pointed to controversies around gambling.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
The arrest marks another extraordinary revelation involving Ray County, a mostly rural county northeast of Kansas City that has faced a series of high-profile controversies in recent years.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
The issues come during a notably eventful DWTS season, with controversies surrounding contestant exits, accusations of favoritism and social media conflicts already drawing widespread attention.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Before her controversies, soccer goalie Hope Solo participated in the show's 13th season.
—Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
But the monarch had no choice – Andrew’s controversies have been dogging the family for years and the publication of his accuser’s posthumous memoir was the final straw.
—Max Foster, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
But the absence of genuine romance this season, coupled with several controversies over the past few years, has fueled disdain for the series from some fans who say the show has become unwatchable.
—Amina Kilpatrick, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversies
Noun
-
Thousands of both Christians and Muslims have been killed, with violence also stemming from non-religious disputes, such as those over natural resources.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The ongoing 36-day closure has sparked disputes over a range of topics — from the separation of powers and the federal workforce, to food assistance and air traffic control.—
Sam Gringlas,
NPR,
5 Nov. 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
-
Over the course of the hour-long runtime, all the girls bring their lingering tensions and disagreements to the table and air everything out.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Democrats gathered for a conference hosted by progressives were sneering at Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who was not present, for shutting down popular new faces based on disagreements over specific issues.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Since the advent of the transfer portal and the rise of name, image and likeness (NIL), there have been countless debates about how to create and adjust a system to establish guardrails when necessary.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Heated debates are occurring about the soul of the Republican Party and the direction of the conservative movement, many of which surfaced in the days leading up to the election.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Margolick devotes much space to the writers’ quarrels, their gripes, their resentment of one another.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Hip-Hop has equally thrived on legendary quarrels and strong relationships.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Those looking to reschedule can do so without being charged change fees or fare differences, but only if the new flight is between six days before and six days after your original travel date and booked for the same cabin between the same cities originally booked.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
11 Nov. 2025
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How BikeWalkKC hopes to work with schools, cities Because of the rising attention on the issue, BikeWalkKC created a blog post explaining to families the differences between e-bikes and e-motos, which are electronic motorcycles, mopeds and dirt bikes.—
PJ Green
November 11,
Kansas City Star,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Unfortunately, the launch of the Bearista cup didn’t go as expected, with merchandise shortages nationwide and physical altercations breaking out at some locations, leaving many customers empty-handed.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Nov. 2025
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Other behaviors that commonly cause altercations during flights include shouting, consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, and reclining your seat without consideration for the person sitting behind.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Two of the Democratic standard-bearers to emerge from last week’s elections—Abigail Spanberger, the incoming governor of Virginia, and Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City—have emphasized different sides of these arguments in recent days.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
11 Nov. 2025
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While medically assisted suicide isn’t a mainstream cause of any one political party, conversations about potential legislation happen more in progressive circles and often in connection with arguments about bodily autonomy.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Controversies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversies. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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