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
In the years since Big L’s passing, speculation about the circumstances behind his death has caused controversy.
—
Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 18 Mar. 2026
There was little controversy about how long a college athlete could remain a college athlete, since college is a transitional period from adolescence into adulthood.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
The only Adult Swim show to cause controversy among Adult Swim talent.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
For about as long, the group has also been mired in controversy.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 18 Mar. 2026
There was little controversy about how long a college athlete could remain a college athlete, since college is a transitional period from adolescence into adulthood.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
The only Adult Swim show to cause controversy among Adult Swim talent.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
For about as long, the group has also been mired in controversy.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversy
Noun
-
Officers said they were called to the area for a domestic dispute.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Merit filed for bankruptcy last July and became embroiled in a thorny legal dispute with a former broadcasting business partner.—
Uwa Ede-Osifo,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That is the number of votes required to invoke cloture, end debate, break a filibuster, and allow the bill in question to proceed to a final vote on the floor.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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At the same time – and unprecedentedly in Lebanon since the 1980s — open public debate has persisted concerning the possibility of reaching a normalization agreement with Israel.—
Asher Kaufman,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Video released by the department showed two women in prison outfits in a physical altercation.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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York and the man later appeared to find their way to a parking garage area as the altercation continues, per the footage released by TMZ.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
17 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
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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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Over the next months, Barr made clear his own disagreements with the foundations of the Russia investigation, moving to dismiss a false-statements prosecution that Mueller had brought against former national security adviser Michael Flynn, even though that investigation ended in a guilty plea.—
Eric Tucker,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
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The onboard disagreement escalated as other passengers also sought to use the underseat space reserved for the guide dog, raising questions about enforcing service animal rules on commercial flights.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
20 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
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For now, the Halligan appeal remains the clearest test case, and the administration seems dead-set on appealing it until the Supreme Court decides whether to consider the matter for a merits argument.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
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But the Vegitalian renders all of those arguments entirely moot, by evoking all the best parts of a meat-laden sandwich meatlessly.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The company develops and makes products for civilian and military use, such as drone technologies used by Ukraine's armed forces in the fight against the Russian invasion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The votes mark incremental progress toward resolving at least some of the vacancies that have fueled the dispute, particularly in Utah, where Holyoak’s interim status has become a flashpoint in the broader fight.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Controversy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversy. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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