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
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Recent Examples of dispute
Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
In 2024, when X was temporarily blocked there, amid a legal dispute between Elon Musk and the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court, countless fan accounts for celebrities such as Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift evaporated, many signing off with the hashtag #MeuUltimoTweet.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026
Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
Resolution could take years amid dueling narratives Social media companies have disputed that their products are addictive.
—Barbara Ortutay, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dispute
Noun
The dual credential places her at the center of two legal disciplines that rarely overlap, yet increasingly intersect in modern family disputes.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
In 2024, when X was temporarily blocked there, amid a legal dispute between Elon Musk and the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court, countless fan accounts for celebrities such as Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift evaporated, many signing off with the hashtag #MeuUltimoTweet.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Sells changed his tune after learning that much of the evidence against Pender has been disputed.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
Resolution could take years amid dueling narratives Social media companies have disputed that their products are addictive.
—Barbara Ortutay, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dispute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispute
Noun
-
Alberto Carvalho, the former Miami-Dade school superintendent whose Los Angeles home and office were raided Wednesday by the FBI, is no stranger to controversy.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The team has been a source of controversy for the administration after FBI Director Kash Patel was seen chugging beer in their locker room.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Instead, the Timberwolves remain locked in a tight quarrel with the likes of Denver, Houston, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Lakers.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The American colonists’ decision to frame their rebellion as a quarrel with a man rather than a system was brilliant from a public-relations standpoint, if not exactly honest.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Uludag denied the accusations during questioning, insisting that his posts were legitimate criticism made in his capacity as a judiciary reporter, according to court documents published by Cumhuriyet newspaper.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Some researchers question whether addiction is the appropriate term to describe heavy use of social media, arguing that a person must be experiencing identifiable symptoms.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Her grandparents are constantly bickering, worn down by the pressures of keeping the family hotel afloat.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The choice not to pick a team has left fans bickering with each other.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Treasury yields drifted higher but the move was contained as investors debated the merits of growth versus inflation.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
21 Feb. 2026
-
High-stakes debate on whether to renovate or relocate shifts to new phase for mayor and council members.—
Everton Bailey Jr,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
According to him, advances in machine learning have yanked questions once trapped inside theological/philosophical disputations into corporate board packs.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Aug. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
On a cold afternoon in January, demonstrators gathered to condemn the shooting death of Renee Good, the 37-year-old killed in an altercation with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Charges stemmed from claims that Beverley grabbed his teenage sister by the neck and punched her in the eye during a family altercation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Welcome to week 27 of The Athletic’s Premier League predictions challenge, where nobody — not even table-topping Wilfred — saw that Wolves comeback coming.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
His calm authority, wit, and quiet moral certainty is challenged by escalating reports of a mysterious affliction hitting the inhabitants of New York and beyond.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dispute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispute. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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