controversy

noun

ˈkän-trə-ˌvər-sē How to pronounce controversy (audio)
Definition of controversynext
1
as in dispute
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 debate
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 controversy Revenue was only around $8 billion at the time, and the league was enmeshed in controversy, from Spygate to concussion hearings to a pending lockout. — Will Leitch, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2026 An interview with Talarico was also at the center of controversy in February when Stephen Colbert said CBS forbade him from interviewing the candidate. — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2026 Then, over the weekend, social media was buzzing with another controversy about OpenAI solving a difficult math problem for the first time in history. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2026 The ensuing controversy caught Microsoft’s attention, with the company demanding LG remove the ads. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for controversy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversy
  1. dispute
  2. debate
  3. altercation
  4. disputation
  5. disagreement
  6. quarrel
  7. argument
  8. fight
Noun
  • Two rail gauges will meet The CKU project has adopted a dual-gauge design to resolve the long-standing technical dispute.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Countries are typically expected to attempt to resolve disputes before bringing them to the court.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of dispute
Noun
  • Evaluation score debates haunt the AI industry The question of benchmark accuracy has come up multiple times in the past.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Raman is now easily scoring off of Bass mishaps, like the mayor’s response to the Lineage warehouse fire and her random broadside against street vendors during a debate in Sherman Oaks last month.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of debate
Noun
  • After an initial investigation, BPD determined an altercation that occurred on the porch led to the stabbing of the man.
    — Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 7 Sep. 2026
  • That was because, as OutKick's Ian Miller wrote, the university had pulled the outlet's credentials because of a report about a locker room altercation that resulted in the dismissal of senior safety Jacob Fields.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of altercation
Noun
  • This did not, however, mark the end of disputation concerning the Northwest Angle.
    — Scott Spires, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 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 disputation
Noun
  • Roth’s name had disappeared from the case, typically a sign of disagreement or discomfort with the arguments being made.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The disagreement is over the NCAA's new rule that grants players five seasons of eligibility, but did not include those who graduated from high school in 2022.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of disagreement
Noun
  • The victim got into a quarrel with his attacker at Rufus King Park near 89th Ave.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The quarrel became physical, and a man pulled a gun and shot the woman in the right calf.
    — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of quarrel
Noun
  • The earliest arguments for the non-existence of time go back to the pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, Parmenides of Elea, in southwest Italy, who flourished in the fifth century BCE.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The central legal argument made by the petitioners revolved around the Kansas Public Speech Protection Act, a law designed to safeguard the constitutional rights of a person to petition and prevent lawsuits that silence public participation.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of argument
Noun
  • By the end of the fight, an enthralling contest which Taylor won by a somewhat wide 27 points to 3, the crowd was on their feet.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Thank you Jena, and thank you to all the Screencaps readers who have joined the fight.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of fight

Browse Nearby Words

controversies
controversy
controvert
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Controversy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversy. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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 hobnob

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

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

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
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
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All