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 As Crowley sprinted across the state to capture undecided voters, Hong was batting down controversies. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 But controversies tied to the people around him — most recently antisemitic and white nationalist social media posts by his son-in-law — have dogged him throughout his campaign. — Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Whether cyberattacks, executive controversies, misinformation, supply chain disruptions or regulatory challenges, all brand incidents follow a similar pattern. — Shannon Reedy, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Confronting his controversies goes hand in hand with examining the designer’s work, given that Galliano has profoundly influenced fashion’s roadmap either way, the Costume Institute said in a statement announcing the exhibit’s theme. — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2026 Rodriguez told Allure last week that these 2026 updates are not about getting away from past controversies but about new resources available to the brand. — James Manso, Allure, 3 Aug. 2026 Ferguson said that the years of lawsuits and controversies involving the department have contributed to a lack of public trust. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026 Critics have suggested Engelbert be fired for her handling of the league's controversies this season and in recent years. — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026 Just look at some of the controversies from the last few playoff matchups, and how players such as Aaron Ekblad and Niko Mikkola became villains. — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversies
  1. disputes
  2. disputations
  3. disagreements
  4. debates
  5. quarrels
  6. differences
  7. altercations
  8. arguments
Noun
  • The article also underscores that most ordinary voters pay little or no attention to these calendar disputes, implicitly criticizing party insiders for obsessing over process while the public is focused on daily life and more immediate concerns.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • And the vast majority of disputes are being won by providers, who are getting payouts that can far exceed the industry standard.
    — Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 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
  • Health insurers and hospitals tend to keep their contracts confidential, but, judging from each party’s previous comments, disagreements over reimbursement rates were a key issue throughout the negotiations.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • Galanis' testimony offered jurors a glimpse into the family's disagreements over Melina's travel arrangements and her growing concerns about Frattolin's travel plans with their daughter months before Melina's death.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of disagreements
Noun
  • Blackburn declined in July to participate in any debates, and Rose backed out when it was set to be only him and Fritts on stage.
    — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Larkin has used Moskowitz’s refusal to appear with him to accuse the reelection-seeking congressman of ducking debates and avoiding the voters.
    — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of debates
Noun
  • 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
  • Rounding out the top five names were seven write-in votes for the Sacramento Capitals or Capitols — which could be nicknamed the Caps to avoid quarrels over the spelling — and six votes for the Sacramento Stingers or Sting, referencing the collegiate Sacramento State Hornets.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026
Definition of quarrels
Noun
  • These differences likely stem from the fact that keeping kids off screens requires time and money—which wealthy parents tend to have more of.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But within the leadership, there are sharp differences over what the endgame should be.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of differences
Noun
  • In court filings, ex-wife Emily Moreno alleged that Miller has repeatedly had physical and verbal altercations with her attorney, Andrew Zashin, after recent court hearings in an ongoing custody battle.
    — Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • She's also stood up for Caitlin Clark when some, uh, jealous opponents have gone after her with overly physical fouls or altercations, which instantly increased her popularity among Clark's massive fan base.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • The Sezioni Unite — the highest rung of the Cassazione — accepted her arguments and overturned previous rulings, including one by a lower tier of the Cassazione which had upheld the minor issue as recently as 2024.
    — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • They are sometimes submitted by outside parties in lawsuits to help stress particular arguments or inform a judge’s thinking.
    — Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of arguments

Browse Nearby Words

controversial
controversies
controversy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Controversies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversies. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on controversies

Nglish: Translation of controversies for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All