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 contentious
given to arguing a disputatious professor who could give you an argument on just about anything

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in controversial
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. contentious
  3. controversial
  4. militant
  5. polemical
  6. hostile
  7. quarrelsome
  8. irritable
Adjective
  • In March, a group of major medical organizations, including the AHA and the American College of Cardiology, released new guidelines urging more aggressive treatment of cholesterol.
    — Anne Thompson, NBC news, 16 July 2026
  • His team is curious about the fuel effects of acceleration and aggressive driving and other air pollutants that might increase with speeding.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 16 July 2026
Definition of aggressive
Adjective
  • This fundamental disagreement between the league and players sets the stage for a contentious battle during upcoming CBA negotiations, questioning whether the current system truly benefits the league long-term.
    — Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • One of the more contentious decisions was replacing the old 14th hole with a new short-game area, although there is no disputing the quality of the practice facilities.
    — Gregg Evans, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of contentious
Adjective
  • The twice-annual practice of switching clocks has been controversial for many years, with nearly all Americans against the biannual change, according to a 2025 AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • Their past two victories against Switzerland and Egypt came with the help of controversial calls that had the soccer-watching populace buzzing about potential favoritism toward Argentina.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of controversial
Adjective
  • Lopez has expressed his qualms with Belichick’s militant locker room culture.
    — Noah Vinsky July 17, Charlotte Observer, 17 July 2026
  • The surrounding province of Sistan and Baluchestan has also faced a yearslong insurgency by Sunni Baloch militant groups.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
Definition of militant
Adjective
  • 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
  • Tarring someone with the pedant brush is polemical, of course.
    — Clare Bucknell, The New York Review of Books, 27 June 2026
Definition of polemical
Adjective
  • The recruits will be deployed in Malaysia and tested in the hostile jungle environment.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Ibiza is hostile to new club owners, and Ushuaïa faced the usual onslaught.
    — Max Marshall, Vanity Fair, 15 July 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
  • Perelman said people who have weakened immune systems and those with irritable bowel disease may want to talk to their doctors before incorporating the foods into their diet.
    — Devi Shastri, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
  • The symptoms are so delayed that people often blame them on food poisoning, irritable-bowel syndrome, gluten intolerance.
    — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of irritable

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disputatious
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Cite this Entry

“Disputatious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disputatious. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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