controversial
adjective
con·tro·ver·sial
ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-shəl 
-ˈvər-sē-əl
1
: of, relating to, or arousing controversy
a controversial policy
a controversial film
2
: given to controversy : disputatious
a controversial temperament
The controversial biologist caused a ferment among his colleagues.
controversially
adverb
Synonyms
Examples of controversial in a Sentence
Abortion is a highly controversial subject.
a decision that remains controversial
He is a controversial author.
Recent Examples on the Web
Iran's controversial President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials were confirmed dead on Monday after their helicopter crashed in a mountainous region of the country’s northwest, Iranian state media reported.
—
Landon Mion, Fox News, 20 May 2024
But for ordinary Iranians, Raisi leaves behind a controversial legacy.
—Anna Gordon, TIME, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for controversial 
Landon Mion, Fox News, 20 May 2024
But for ordinary Iranians, Raisi leaves behind a controversial legacy.
—Anna Gordon, TIME, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for controversial
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'controversial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Controversial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/controversial. Accessed 23 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
controversial
adjective
con·tro·ver·sial
ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-shəl
-ˈvər-sē-əl
: relating to or causing controversy
a controversial movie
controversially
adverb
-ē
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