1
as in controversy
variance of opinion on a matter
a dispute over the proper pronunciation of "nuclear"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in quarrel
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
after much dispute, the school committee decided that all backpacks would have to be stored in lockers during class hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to question
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
a whole slew of relatives eager to dispute his claim to being the sole heir
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to bicker
to express different opinions about something often angrily
hometown fans disputing with visiting fans over which had the better team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to debate
to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion
in an extended session the city council disputed the need for a new high school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dispute
Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 12 July 2025
The 15th Court of Appeals, which has exclusive jurisdiction over appellate disputes that deal with state actions and legislative constitutionality, handed down the decision last week.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 12 July 2025
Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
Mark Epstein, 70, has long disputed the official finding that his brother killed himself.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for dispute
Noun
During the third annual Vandy Camp event in Malibu, Calif., last month, his wife Arlene Silver shared behind-the-scenes stories and recounted a dispute with legendary costume designer Colleen Atwood, 76, over the shoes her husband wore during his iconic dance.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 12 July 2025
The 15th Court of Appeals, which has exclusive jurisdiction over appellate disputes that deal with state actions and legislative constitutionality, handed down the decision last week.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 12 July 2025
Verb
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will add $3.4 trillion to federal deficits over the next 10 years, but Republicans and the White House have disputed those figures.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
Mark Epstein, 70, has long disputed the official finding that his brother killed himself.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for dispute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispute
Noun
-
Social Security has become a lightening rod for controversy since Trump’s inauguration in January.—
Alicia Adamczyk,
Fortune,
7 July 2025
-
The controversy in Spain echoes similar issues in Portugal, where Rabbi Daniel Litvak of Oporto was arrested in 2022 amid investigations into fraudulent citizenship applications linked notably to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.—
Orge Castellano,
Sun Sentinel,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Your celestial ruler, Mercury, will also station retrograde in your communication sector (for the win), triggering misunderstandings and unnecessary quarrels with siblings or neighbors.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
8 July 2025
-
According to writer and historian Geoffrey C. Ward, Johnson had his quarrels inside and outside the ring.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
Carlson questioned why Epstein had never been asked about a connection with Barak or Mossad.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
14 July 2025
-
Some have questioned whether city commissioners can unilaterally change election dates — a decision that also changes the length of their current terms — without voter approval.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 July 2025
Verb
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As officials bickered over who had the right to investigate, the crime scene was overrun by gawkers who pocketed souvenirs and tampered with crucial evidence — including an unknown man’s handkerchief, a pair of glasses and the gun used in the murder.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
27 June 2025
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Trump withdrew his nomination of Isaacman as the president bickered with Musk in the waning days of the billionaire's formal involvement with the White House.—
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
While addressing the overall tax environment and tax treatment of cryptoassets is beyond the scope of any one singular week there are specific items that lawmakers need to keep front of mind as stablecoins and cryptoassets more broadly are debated.—
Sean Stein Smith,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
The exact circumstances and fuzzy details of the riot have been debated and researched for decades — including an urban legend that some cadets in College Station attempted to take a howitzer to Waco via a rail car.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
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
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Seven decades later, this culture of disputation emerged as a central theme in Timothy Garton Ash’s The Magic Lantern, his eyewitness report on the Eastern European revolutions of 1989.—
Susie Linfield,
The New York Review of Books,
11 May 2022
Noun
-
Back in May, former Washington Commanders running back Adrian Peterson went viral for his involvement in a physical altercation at a poker game in Houston, Texas.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
-
The altercation could be setting the stage for an official showdown between Jelly and Paul at this year’s SummerSlam, scheduled for Aug. 2–3 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Watch Jelly Roll face off with Logan Paul at WWE SmackDown in the clip below.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
13 July 2025
Verb
-
Of course the market is challenged, but there isn't a brand issue.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
7 July 2025
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This could lead to larger fire growth and small runs that may challenge control features on the Summit Fire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dispute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispute. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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