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disputatious

adjective

ˌdi-spyə-ˈtā-shəs How to pronounce disputatious (audio)
Definition of disputatiousnext
1
as in aggressive
feeling or displaying eagerness to fight a long history of little wars waged by the disputatious countries occupying that European peninsula

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in controversial
given to arguing a disputatious professor who could give you an argument on just about anything

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in contentious
relating to or causing the expression of opposing opinions dismayed at the prospect of enduring another disputatious meeting of the school board

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disputatious Trump has pioneered a style of communication that exploits our distracted, disputatious age. — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 Its titular Pebble and Clod might remind you of characters in a picture book or a TV show — disputatious friends like Frog and Toad or Ernie and Bert. — New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026 In other words, students prepare for citizenship in a disputatious society by practicing the civic arts—by asserting and advocating for their views—not by meekly absorbing lessons from their instructors. — Christopher L. Eisgruber, Time, 9 Oct. 2025 The potential for sharp, disputatious cultural criticism has arguably slackened. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025 The film shows the occasionally disputatious relationship between Marvin and her grandparents, who raised her. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 12 Jan. 2025 Hoback followed Back to a Bitcoin conference in Riga, Latvia, where Back introduced him to one of his younger protégés, a prominent if disputatious Bitcoin developer named Peter Todd. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024 This disputatious sociopolitical drama is cunningly packaged as a romantic comedy. — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disputatious
  1. aggressive
  2. controversial
  3. contentious
  4. militant
  5. polemical
  6. hostile
  7. quarrelsome
  8. irritable
Adjective
  • The customized coupe features a T-top roof, aggressive aero body kit, and a graphics package that could have appeared in the original The Fast and the Furious.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2026
  • At 5-10, 198 pounds, Parrish mostly played nickel corner in Todd Bowles’ aggressive scheme and shined as a rookie.
    — PJ Green September 24, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of aggressive
Adjective
  • But it's been hard as a journalist to watch the wall-to-wall coddling of one of the most controversial figures of the past decade.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • So, that means the new book by Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, has been a little controversial in some circles.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of controversial
Adjective
  • Pitt is 10 years removed from his contentious divorce from Angelina Jolie, who filed for divorce in 2016.
    — Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The Tarrant County judge race between incumbent Republican Tim O’Hare and Democratic commissioner Alisa Simmons has been contentious.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of contentious
Adjective
  • The conflicting statements came just days after Pakistani fighter jets struck sites in eastern Afghanistan that Islamabad said were militant hideouts, an escalation between Kabul and Islamabad that threatens mediation efforts by regional powers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Pakistan often accuses Kabul of sheltering the TTP and turning a blind eye to cross-border militant attacks.
    — Riaz Khan, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of militant
Adjective
  • Even so, the film’s gaze is more anthropological than polemical, especially given the faux-doc vibe created by its abundant handheld camerawork, seemingly filmed sometimes by the actors themselves.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Now, in the 1500s and 1600s, that phrase was often used by Catholics in their polemical war against Protestants.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026
Definition of polemical
Adjective
  • The lawsuit is one of at least 13 cases filed in 2026 by current and former Independence Police Department officers alleging hostile work environments and dysfunction within the department.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Chambliss aims to join them while avoiding a long list of talented signal callers who fell apart in one of the sport’s most-hostile environments.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of hostile
Adjective
  • Volatile, quarrelsome, dogmatic, and sure of his own brilliance, Reinhold outraged patrons, amassed huge debts, and turned his eldest son into an exhausted workhorse.
    — Jenny Uglow, The New York Review of Books, 4 July 2026
  • The toys, like the perpetually quarrelsome Woody and Buzz or Jessie the cowgirl, who now takes center stage, have seen their boy and girl owners grow up and leave them behind.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 June 2026
Definition of quarrelsome
Adjective
  • Coach There’s no better feeling than walking into your last show of the day, irritable and hungry, only to discover that snacks are being served.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
  • If a relative or housemate seems irritable, ask what’s going on instead of working around the mood.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of irritable

Browse Nearby Words

disputations
disputatious
disputatiousness
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Cite this Entry

“Disputatious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disputatious. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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