as in to argue
to express different opinions about something often angrily
ever since the poem was first published, critics and scholars have controverted over the meaning of its concluding lines
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Recent Examples of controvert
Those then who controvert the principle that the constitution is to be considered, in court, as a paramount law, are reduced to the necessity of maintaining that courts must close their eyes on the constitution, and see only the law.
—
Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 29 July 2025
Many of those people had been convicted of assaulting police officers, prompting a backlash from Democrats — and even some Republicans — who said Trump’s move controverted Republican claims of being the party that champions law and order and personal responsibility.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 23 Jan. 2025
Even assuming this is true (and this description will be controverted at trial), a monopoly by itself does not violate the antitrust laws.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
The appellate court noted that the woman’s testimony was controverted.
—Virginia Hammerle, Dallas News, 16 May 2023
During the upcoming weeks and through the appeal a slew of additional credible and controverting evidence will come to light.
—Ben Shpigel, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2017
Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 29 July 2025
Many of those people had been convicted of assaulting police officers, prompting a backlash from Democrats — and even some Republicans — who said Trump’s move controverted Republican claims of being the party that champions law and order and personal responsibility.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 23 Jan. 2025
Even assuming this is true (and this description will be controverted at trial), a monopoly by itself does not violate the antitrust laws.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
The appellate court noted that the woman’s testimony was controverted.
—Virginia Hammerle, Dallas News, 16 May 2023
During the upcoming weeks and through the appeal a slew of additional credible and controverting evidence will come to light.
—Ben Shpigel, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controvert
Verb
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Though some have argued there are similarities in how Trump works as a statesman, in comparison to Reagan.—
Caitlin McFall,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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While the two argued over the definition of a restaurant, Kennedy said a letter from the Sacramento Environmental Health Division classified Mei Wah as a bar.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Sunny and Ulla have a tendency to bicker, and each can resort to brandishing cultural stereotypes as a cudgel when arguing with the other.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
3 Aug. 2025
-
That was the thing that gave us the ability to feel quite free in the scenes — not changing the words or changing the sense of the scene — but trust trying different things, having that bickering back and forth, finding that easygoing relationship between the two of them.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
25 July 2025
Verb
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As a couple, Erin, who runs an equestrian center at her home in Reno, and Serafini, who since 2017 had worked as an equipment operator at a remote Nevada gold mine, often quarreled with Gary and Wendy.—
Chris Spargo,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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The two brothers lived together in San Pablo but quarreled often.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
15 July 2025
Verb
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In 2022, only 22 percent of Ukrainians favored a negotiated end to the war, and 73 percent favored Ukraine fighting until victory.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
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Following emancipation, Black families fought to reunite, underscoring the idea of family as foundational to their status as free people, as described by the National Museum of African American History and Culture.—
Grace Tucker,
The Enquirer,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Controvert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controvert. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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