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
Yet controversy flared when Cafe Del Mar installed artificial turf in its outdoor dining area.
—
Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2026
While primary elections typically draw fewer voters than general elections, several high-profile races and political controversies helped drive interest in this year’s ballot.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 4 Mar. 2026
In 2025, a foot injury in Week 5 ended up keeping him out for the rest of the season, with backup Jacoby Brissett playing well in his place to create a quarterback controversy.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
The controversy centers around Lifetouch, a company that photographs millions of students nationwide each year.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2026
While primary elections typically draw fewer voters than general elections, several high-profile races and political controversies helped drive interest in this year’s ballot.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 4 Mar. 2026
In 2025, a foot injury in Week 5 ended up keeping him out for the rest of the season, with backup Jacoby Brissett playing well in his place to create a quarterback controversy.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
The controversy centers around Lifetouch, a company that photographs millions of students nationwide each year.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 4 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
-
According to investigators, what began as an argument between individuals quickly escalated into a physical altercation and ended with gunfire.—
Anna McAllister,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Police said a large group of people were at the location when there was an altercation in the parking lot, leading to the shooting.—
Elissa Jorgensen,
Dallas Morning News,
3 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
-
Hegseth’s harsh punishment is the culmination of a long, slow slide that began with a political disagreement.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Much of the disagreement centers on Iran’s insistence on enriching uranium on its own soil.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Instead, the Timberwolves remain locked in a tight quarrel with the likes of Denver, Houston, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Lakers.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The American colonists’ decision to frame their rebellion as a quarrel with a man rather than a system was brilliant from a public-relations standpoint, if not exactly honest.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
On an extensive Reddit thread discussing the court opinion, the argument continued.—
EMILY HEIL THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Until that point, the court just wasn’t buying arguments that the actor was too sick to film.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Not long afterward, he was elected president on a platform deeply hostile to the West and its liberal ideology, and especially to the United States — threatening a hard fight in the event of war.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Justin Diez the day after the fight to Seitz’s father.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Controversy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversy. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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