1
as in dispute
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
the seemingly imperishable controversy over the teaching of evolution
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in debate
variance of opinion on a matter
there is considerable controversy regarding the assassination of President Kennedy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of controversy
Karla Sofía Gascón is opening up about how the firestorm following her recent controversy has affected her mental health.
—
Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
Though no one referenced the Baldoni controversy directly, support for Lively among her collaborators was clear.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
The Color Purple should be the lasting career touchstone for both Goldberg and Winfrey, its genuine popularity sustained through perennial TV runs and word of mouth, despite critical and industry controversy.
—Armond White, National Review, 7 Mar. 2025
The madhouse of awards season and all its many, many controversies — not to mention an ongoing parade of natural and man-made disasters — has until now perhaps overshadowed some of the year’s lower-stakes joys.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
Though no one referenced the Baldoni controversy directly, support for Lively among her collaborators was clear.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
The Color Purple should be the lasting career touchstone for both Goldberg and Winfrey, its genuine popularity sustained through perennial TV runs and word of mouth, despite critical and industry controversy.
—Armond White, National Review, 7 Mar. 2025
The madhouse of awards season and all its many, many controversies — not to mention an ongoing parade of natural and man-made disasters — has until now perhaps overshadowed some of the year’s lower-stakes joys.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversy
Noun
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After two years of litigation and arbitration, Adidas and Ye reached an out-of-court resolution of their contractual dispute stemming from Adidas terminating the relationship.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
5 Mar. 2025
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Listen to this article A judge ordered a Chicago landlord last month to pay $80,000 to former tenants after the landlord threatened to call ICE on them during a verbal dispute in June 2020, according to court documents.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In reality, an attempt to enact a Mar-a-Lago Accord, in the same fashion as the debate around NATO, may create aversion (distrust in) to US financial assets and the dollar.—
Mike O'Sullivan,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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The film, which won big at the Golden Globes, was previously embroiled in controversy over its use of artificial intelligence in dialect, with Corbet giving an assertive defense of his performers amid the debate.—
Sandra Gonzalez,
CNN,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
While some Iranian reformists have traditionally advocated for talks with the U.S., the Oval Office altercation has led to a reassessment.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
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Not that this is necessarily the reason but an AI bot making Oscar predictions is forecasting a Will Smith/Chris Rock-style altercation between Brody and Chalamet.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
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
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And yet there is one aspect of the book which was notable: a disputation of the Richard Wrangham's work in Demonic Males.—
Razib Khan,
Discover Magazine,
22 Apr. 2013
Noun
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Daylight saving time isn’t going away anytime soon While all but two states in the U.S. continue to observe daylight saving time, there is still disagreement about whether the practice should be eliminated or made permanent.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2025
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Murkowski, who has long been critical of Trump and often expressed disagreement with the president, has previously sounded the alarm about some of DOGE's actions.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Sridhar Ramaswamy has a war cabinet of workers and frequently gets into quarrels with staffers over AI ambition.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2025
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He’s been the attorney general for the state the last eight years, regularly an ally of litigation-ready Gov. Roy Cooper in quarrels with the Legislature.—
Alan Wooten | The Center Square,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
12 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
People have different reassurance languages, and using the wrong one can leave your partner feeling unsettled, even if the argument is technically over.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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The argument as articulated so far by Trump administration officials appears to play down the economic benefits created by Social Security payments, infrastructure spending, scientific research and other forms of government spending that can shape an economy’s trajectory.—
Josh Boak,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
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His childhood was turbulent—his parents' frequent fights sometimes turned physical, with his father directing his frustrations at young Gene.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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Their responses indicate a lengthy fight to come over the budget resolution.—
Sudiksha Kochi,
USA TODAY,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Controversy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversy. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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