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
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Recent Examples of controversy
Love, loss, and controversy Taylor’s third husband, producer Mike Todd, died in a 1958 plane crash.
—
Adisa Hargett-Robinson, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2025
Instead, Belichick’s tenure with North Carolina was immediately marred in controversy surrounding both his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson, as well as his ongoing spat with his former New England Patriots team.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
Professional power Each of these controversies has focused on a specific legal, ethical or medical issue.
—Elizabeth Chiarello, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2025
The controversy spotlighted the growing gap between rural and urban dwellers.
—Chris Sims, IndyStar, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Adisa Hargett-Robinson, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2025
Instead, Belichick’s tenure with North Carolina was immediately marred in controversy surrounding both his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson, as well as his ongoing spat with his former New England Patriots team.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
Professional power Each of these controversies has focused on a specific legal, ethical or medical issue.
—Elizabeth Chiarello, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2025
The controversy spotlighted the growing gap between rural and urban dwellers.
—Chris Sims, IndyStar, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversy
Noun
-
The Palladinos departed after Season 6 due to contract disputes with WB, and David Rosenthal stepped in as showrunner and head writer.—
Anna Tingley,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
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The dispute occurred during a hearing on a Republican bill to ban public funds for health care for undocumented immigrants.—
Jessie Opoien,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That leaves places such as Apache County in limbo in a debate centered over keeping government fully operational at existing funding levels and revising health insurance coverage for poor and working-class Americans.—
Ronald J. Hansen,
AZCentral.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Long history of policy changes Police chases in Milwaukee have been a frequent topic of debate in the city, and the policy dictating them is intertwined with the city's reckless driving issues.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In May, Van Hecke was involved in an altercation in training with then-Brighton team-mate Joao Pedro.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Sanchez, 38, was involved in an altercation with the 69-year-old truck driver in the early-morning hours of Saturday, when police said the driver allegedly stabbed Sanchez while defending himself during a fight.—
Patrick Hipes,
Deadline,
6 Oct. 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
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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
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An even more crucial disagreement is over the party’s relationship to electoral politics.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
4 Oct. 2025
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Other federal agencies have crafted similarly partisan messages from the typically apolitical civil service amid a legislative standoff largely over disagreements related to health care cuts.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Hip-Hop has equally thrived on legendary quarrels and strong relationships.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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However, lovers’ quarrels or difficulty dealing with children (hissy fits or meltdowns) might occur.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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McNeill said one argument in favor of the EV sector continuing to grow is the vehicles’ increasing utility far beyond transportation.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
4 Oct. 2025
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Here's a look at both arguments.—
Todd Spangler,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Congressional Democrats have not sought to change that, at least not in the current spending fight.—
Todd Spangler,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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The administration has also called out the arrest of Sortor, a 27-year-old conservative influencer, amid protests outside the ICE facility in Portland during what police characterized as a fight.—
Rebekah Riess,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Controversy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversy. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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