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 While the show is beloved, its legacy has also been marred with a series of tragedies and controversies, both on and off screen. — Saba Hamedy, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2026 Rodríguez also accused Uthmeier of trying to divert attention from controversies involving Hope Florida and Alligator Alcatraz, the state’s immigration detention facility. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026 But in this year’s race, where Paxton’s controversies have divided the party, Cruz is using his popularity among conservatives in Texas to try to keep the Republican coalition together. — Matthew Choi, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026 Voting rights advocates are blasting Bexar County’s decision to use Cornerstone Church as a polling place, arguing the megachurch’s political activism and history of controversies undermine its neutrality. — Katie Bartlett, San Antonio Express-News, 17 Oct. 2026 Tyson is also the subject of Tyson, a four-part documentary series that premiered on Netflix this week, revisiting his boxing career and controversies outside the ring. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026 Bob Beatty, a Washburn political science professor, said that bringing in an outside consultant at this stage could help Marshall push back against several controversies that have hampered his campaign. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026 The First Proof team has received many requests to test open-weight models from mathematicians concerned about privacy after recent high-profile controversies. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026 Black women are also routinely afforded the benefit of the doubt by the media during WNBA controversies. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 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
  • Earlier this week, a Times report revealed Zhang had previously been charged with child abuse for leaving her oldest daughter in a hot car for hours, while Xuan was accused in a civil lawsuit of using violence in landlord-tenant disputes.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That provision could reignite disputes over whether Washington should establish a national standard or preserve stronger state protections.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 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
  • Pretoria has refused, despite disagreements within the coalition government.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Put Disagreements In Writing First Put disagreements in writing before anyone argues them out loud.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of disagreements
Noun
  • The existential debates happening around ASL aren’t just about fair treatment from hearing people.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Take the quiz here ⦠LISTEN Tune in as Florida's race for governor heats up, with rising living costs, property taxes, insurance rates, and campaign debates taking center stage.
    — , FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 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
  • Interestingly, though, when system components have very little temperature difference, the rate of thermal equilibrium is not the same as when the temperature differences are on the higher side.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The question hasn’t dominated the last few weeks of campaigning, with primaries long over and stark differences on Israel between most Democrats and Republicans.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of differences
Noun
  • Images showed altercations between police and protesters, with officers using batons to strike demonstrators, who threw barriers.
    — Joseph Wilson, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The election is taking place amid heightened political tensions in Serbia, with reports of incidents and physical altercations at campaign events.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of altercations
Noun
  • Theoretical arguments suggest that a substantial part, if not all, of the randomness in the world is of quantum origin.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Lincoln lost that year, but the country benefited from their arguments over the legality and morality of slavery.
    — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 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 23 Oct. 2026.

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