1
as in questioning
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bickering
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 discussing
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
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Recent Examples of disputing
Rosen said that the federal government is disputing that Riky had $100 and a nail gun on him at the time of detainment, but said that DHS will still reimburse him based on Riky's account.
—
Conor Wight, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
No one’s disputing the benefits of regular aerobic exercise for diabetes management.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Mar. 2026
One of Meta’s attorneys, Paul Schmidt, said in his opening statement that the company is not disputing that KGM experienced mental health struggles, but rather disputing that Instagram played a substantial factor in those struggles.
—Barbara Ortutay, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Separately, the American Academy of Pediatrics last week argued before a federal judge that the upcoming ACIP meeting should be delayed as part of its larger suit disputing the legitimacy of vaccine policy changes made by Kennedy.
—Chelsea Cirruzzo, STAT, 18 Feb. 2026
One of Meta's attorneys, Paul Schmidt, said in his opening statement that the company is not disputing that KGM experienced mental health struggles, but rather that Instagram played a substantial factor in those struggles.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
However, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office is disputing the clip to Fox News Digital, citing the department is unaware of any reports of a ski mask being found.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026
Nobody is disputing the fact that Everton and McNeil were not informed of what was happening until after the window had closed.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Foley is strongly disputing Healey’s claim that the state tipped off the feds to the latest food assistance fraud.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Conor Wight, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
No one’s disputing the benefits of regular aerobic exercise for diabetes management.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Mar. 2026
One of Meta’s attorneys, Paul Schmidt, said in his opening statement that the company is not disputing that KGM experienced mental health struggles, but rather disputing that Instagram played a substantial factor in those struggles.
—Barbara Ortutay, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Separately, the American Academy of Pediatrics last week argued before a federal judge that the upcoming ACIP meeting should be delayed as part of its larger suit disputing the legitimacy of vaccine policy changes made by Kennedy.
—Chelsea Cirruzzo, STAT, 18 Feb. 2026
One of Meta's attorneys, Paul Schmidt, said in his opening statement that the company is not disputing that KGM experienced mental health struggles, but rather that Instagram played a substantial factor in those struggles.
—ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
However, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office is disputing the clip to Fox News Digital, citing the department is unaware of any reports of a ski mask being found.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026
Nobody is disputing the fact that Everton and McNeil were not informed of what was happening until after the window had closed.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Foley is strongly disputing Healey’s claim that the state tipped off the feds to the latest food assistance fraud.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disputing
Verb
-
Ted Mesiacos, 3rd Ward, voted against the program after similarly questioning why the city was starting its own when the state already had a similar initiative.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Older siblings or classmates might drop hints that leave children questioning what to believe during their Easter egg hunt.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
9 Mar. 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
-
While discussing the current compensation system in college sports, the president went on a tirade against the Supreme Court for unanimously ruling against the NCAA’s restrictions on noncash compensation for college athletes in 2021.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Mar. 2026
-
In footage played in court showing the women following an unmarked vehicle, they can be heard discussing their plan to observe an ICE raid.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Participants take over city streets for a carnivalesque monthly ride, contesting cars’ dominance.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Fox leaped for the ball, spun nearly 360 degrees and finished the play with a slam over a contesting defender.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some residents and community groups say conditions around MacArthur Park remain far from resolved, arguing that drug activity and safety concerns persist despite recent enforcement and outreach efforts.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Citadel Securities published a blistering takedown of the Citrini essay, noting, for instance, that demand for software engineers is up 11% year over year, and more broadly arguing that productivity shocks have historically expanded output and raised real incomes.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For groups debating between multiple post-match options, the convenience factor here stacks up well.—
Taylor Haught,
Miami Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
-
When Joe Carter connected off the Philadelphia Phillies’ Mitch Williams with the clinching home run, Gaston was studying a stat sheet, debating whether to use Darnell Coles to bat for Alfredo Griffin, the light-hitting, 36-year-old infielder on deck.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Artificial intelligence systems do not possess human intelligence and therefore should not be granted rights or protections reserved for people, as evidenced by the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear a case challenging the requirement that copyrightable works must have human authorship.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The judiciary, meanwhile, has taken itself largely out of the picture, limiting the legal avenues available for challenging the president’s use of force.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Nearby, pigeons are fighting over what, horrifyingly, appears to be a chicken strip.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The ferocity of Iran’s attacks on America’s Gulf allies, and the regime’s determination to keep fighting, have already come as a nasty surprise to him.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disputing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disputing. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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