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
Adding more gasoline to the fire, a controversial jail diversion project — which both candidates opposed — near the district’s borders became a political issue in the race.
—
Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Trump, meanwhile, leaned on some famous Black male supporters, including controversial former NFL standouts Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, while also pitching himself to men in general through social media influencers, creators and podcasters.
—Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
This does not appear to be accidental, as Netflix and other streamers have reportedly been shying away from political documentaries due to the polarized state of the world, choosing instead to push movies on less controversial topics.
—Justin Klawans, theweek, 7 Nov. 2024
Dan Gates, who led the opposition to Prop 127 as the executive director of Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management, also thinks that the controversial passage of Prop 114 helped increase voter turnout this election season.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for controversial 
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.
Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Trump, meanwhile, leaned on some famous Black male supporters, including controversial former NFL standouts Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, while also pitching himself to men in general through social media influencers, creators and podcasters.
—Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
This does not appear to be accidental, as Netflix and other streamers have reportedly been shying away from political documentaries due to the polarized state of the world, choosing instead to push movies on less controversial topics.
—Justin Klawans, theweek, 7 Nov. 2024
Dan Gates, who led the opposition to Prop 127 as the executive director of Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management, also thinks that the controversial passage of Prop 114 helped increase voter turnout this election season.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for controversial
Articles Related to controversial
Dictionary Entries Near controversial
Cite this Entry
“Controversial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/controversial. Accessed 21 Nov. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share