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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of disputatious
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
What could unite this bustling, disputatious new country?
—John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
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
New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
What could unite this bustling, disputatious new country?
—John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
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
Adjective
-
Some of the city's narrow streets fell victim to the aggressive snow totals, leaving residents with little wiggle room to get around it.—
Andrew Ramos,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The agency’s aggressive tactics this past year – especially when agents make their presence known in public areas in or near an employer, such as a parking lot – have had a chilling effect on businesses in areas where ICE has been operating.—
Jeanne Sahadi,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
By advancing to phase two, the United States and mediator partners Egypt and Qatar must confront the more contentious issue of Hamas disarmament, which the group has long rejected.—
Nidal al-Mughrabi,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Building a Better California is expected to back statewide ballot measures and legislation that would boost housing construction and streamline approvals, positioning Brin as a major player in one of California’s most contentious policy fights.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Some figures indicated that iPhone users were still avoiding upgrading despite this risk, citing multiple bugs and the controversial Liquid Glass as a reason for staying on an insecure operating system version.—
Kate O'Flaherty,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
At times, the process was controversial as there were a lot of differing opinions about the content.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Israel and the Lebanese militant group exchanged fire for over a year before reaching a ceasefire in November 2024.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Iran has been plagued for years by staggering hyperinflation, fueled by Western sanctions imposed over the hardline clerical government's nuclear program and backing for militant groups across the region.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Colleges and universities nationwide continue to grapple with polemic issues associated with the fair treatment of individuals of differing backgrounds, political persuasions, and sexuality.—
Blake D. Morant,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
This kind of depravity, licentiousness and polemical theatrics has no place on such a traditional and once wholesome presentation of the coming of a new year in our great nation and especially on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the greatest experiment in democracy and freedom in history.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
His 134 men were armed with musket, cartridge pouch, and sword in case of a hostile encounter, and the Africaansche Galey lay close by with a couple of small cannon brought forward on the bow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The broader goal, Rubio said, is a prosperous Venezuela aligned with the United States and no longer serving as a hub for hostile foreign powers.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The only thing that puts wind in The Disappear’s heavy sails is the real people attempting to give some sense of depth, breadth, and humor to the near-caricatures on stage — especially the play’s quarrelsome leads.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
19 Jan. 2026
-
And what’s most important — indeed the principal reason for protecting the existence of a noisy, quarrelsome, factious, muckraking free press in our republic — is accountability.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
23 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
On the contrary, Juventus’ football soothed even the most irritable sections of the crowd.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
This can include feeling irritable, having a low frustration tolerance, feeling easily overstimulated, and having rapid shifts in emotion.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disputatious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disputatious. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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