controversial

adjective

con·tro·ver·sial ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-shəl

-ˈvər-sē-əl

Synonyms of controversial next

: of, relating to, or arousing controversy

a controversial policy

a controversial film

: given to controversy : disputatious

a controversial temperament

The controversial biologist caused a ferment among his colleagues.

controversialism

ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-shə-ˌli-zəm

-sē-ə-ˌli-

noun

controversialist

ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-shə-list

-sē-ə-list

noun

controversially adverb

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The charter system itself, established in 2016, has been controversial, offering teams guaranteed spots in races and apparent financial stability. —

Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024 Assad’s regime was highly controversial across the world. —

Ross O'Keefe, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 8 Dec. 2024 Rosberg responded by securing pole position in Monaco after a controversial trip down the escape road in qualifying, converting that pole into a win and regaining the championship lead. —

Yara Elshebiny, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024 Avoid controversial topics Small talk is also not the time to solve the world’s problems. —

Aditi Shrikant, CNBC, 7 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for controversial