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
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Recent Examples of controversy
There was some controversy regarding the tush push last season.
—
Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
Their unsparing letter added another layer of controversy to the drama that had already been brewing about Tuesday’s forum.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Chatree's legal controversy spans multiple cases, several medical surveys and a counter lawsuit.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
Since the undressing trend initially sparked controversy in early January, governments and political bodies including the European Union, the state of California and House Democrats have announced various inquiries and investigations into Grok and its undressing abilities.
—Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
Their unsparing letter added another layer of controversy to the drama that had already been brewing about Tuesday’s forum.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Chatree's legal controversy spans multiple cases, several medical surveys and a counter lawsuit.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
Since the undressing trend initially sparked controversy in early January, governments and political bodies including the European Union, the state of California and House Democrats have announced various inquiries and investigations into Grok and its undressing abilities.
—Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversy
Noun
-
NewJeans, one of the most exciting and innovative recent K-pop groups, has been largely inactive since 2024 due to a baroque legal dispute with the HYBE subsidiary ADOR.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Last month, Boulee directed Fulton County and the Justice Department to mediate the dispute instead of going to court, but that mediation failed, Boulee said, resulting in Friday's hearing.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Abbott, Patrick brawl over complete ban The debate over a complete ban on THC was one of the most high-profile issues in the Texas Legislature's regular session last year.—
Steven Rosenbaum,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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At its core, this debate is a value judgment about what belongs in a basic high school education.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Deputies responded on the night of March 20 to an address along 6th Avenue following reports of a verbal altercation at a gathering.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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Not for nothing — no one in this altercation is wearing a helmet on their bike!—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
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
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Jake is a single father who has brought Kristen up in the severe Calvinist tradition, marked by Bible disputations of Talmudic intricacy and by a radical detachment from secular and popular culture.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2023
Noun
-
The dynamic left senators convinced that the deal was the only way to move past their disagreements and reopen the Homeland Security Department.—
Stephen Groves,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The goal is not to manufacture disagreement.—
Jane Sadowsky,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In an inscription outside of the current building, writer Tom Corcoran claims Buffett once escaped the apartment upstairs from the bar after a lovers’ quarrel and that patrons often stood on bricks to stay out of runoff from the overflowing bathrooms while gambling on games of pool.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
17 Mar. 2026
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Two men were hospitalized early Sunday after a quarrel turned into a shootout on the 79th Street Red Line platform along the Dan Ryan Expressway.—
Dylan Olsen,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Morales said two officers were flagged down by a bystander reporting a heated argument.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
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The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the challenge in the middle of oral arguments, even while ruling against the civil rights of Japanese American citizens in other cases considered at the same time.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Internally, Mead Johnson conceded it had been beaten in the fight over fortifiers.—
David Hilzenrath,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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The risk When Manfred took over as MLB commissioner 11 years ago, baseball had long been surpassed by football as the country’s most popular sport and was in an existential fight to stay relevant to younger fans.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Controversy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversy. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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