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
The actor at the center of multiple legal controversies appeared in the Superior Court of California on Tuesday to testify in a trial concerning an insurance dispute over his firing from season 6 of House of Cards.
—
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
Armed with beauty, daring, hustle, sheer force of will and unwavering ambition, Undine battles an entrenched elite, fearlessly courting controversy, until love and fortune align.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
Several recent controversies illustrate the pattern.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
And what, if any, will be their response if they get asked about the controversy directly?
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
Armed with beauty, daring, hustle, sheer force of will and unwavering ambition, Undine battles an entrenched elite, fearlessly courting controversy, until love and fortune align.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
Several recent controversies illustrate the pattern.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
And what, if any, will be their response if they get asked about the controversy directly?
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversy
Noun
-
Anderson has countersued and accused Burkle of smearing his reputation amid a separate business dispute.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Burkle alleges that Anderson stopped paying him in 2014 after becoming angry with him over an unspecified personal dispute, the complaint states.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The debate was framed by a series of incidents in recent years in which the local Police Department was accused of profiling Black people.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The size of the divide appeared significant during Thursday's debate.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
During the altercation, police say one fatal shot was fired into the victim's stomach.—
Eric Mack,
FOXNews.com,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Then, Smith and the Jets’ relationship soured for good when Smith suffered a broken jaw in a locker room altercation with teammate IK Enemkpali in August of 2015.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
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
-
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
-
In human relationships, empathy often involves recognizing differences, navigating disagreement, and testing assumptions about reality.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
-
When disagreements arise, acknowledge everyone’s different points of view before jumping to defend your ideas.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Herro posted a photo of that autographed Durant jersey on his Instagram on Sunday, acknowledging his respect for Durant hours after Saturday’s quarrel.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There have also been arguments that having more daylight hours benefits public safety and health.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
8 Mar. 2026
-
According to initial police reports, dozens of people were inside the bar attending a party when an argument broke out between some attendees.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Seizures, fights also reported on calls Most of the 911 calls were made by the camp’s contract medical staff.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
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Pinkston player Charles Riley (12) and Kimball player Kayden Gray (00) fight to control the ball during a Kimball High School versus Pinkston High School boys basketball playoff game at the Ellis Davis Field House in Dallas, Texas, on Mar 6, 2026.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Controversy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversy. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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