polemic

noun

po·​lem·​ic pə-ˈle-mik 

1

a

: an aggressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of another

b

: the art or practice of disputation or controversy

—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

2

: an aggressive controversialist : disputant

polemicist

pə-ˈle-mə-sist 

noun

Did you know?

Diatribe, jeremiad, philippic … the English language sure has a lot of formal words for the things we say or write when we are—to use a decidedly less formal term—big mad. We will refrain from going on a tirade about it, however, especially since it’s good to have options with subtle differences in tone and meaning. Polemic, which traces back ultimately to the Greek word for war, polemos, is the word you want to refer specifically to an aggressive attack on someone’s ideas or principles. Someone who is cheesed off because they don’t like cheese, for example, wouldn’t write a polemic about it. A turophile upset about the gustatory philosophy behind their local cheesemonger’s recent offerings just might.

Examples of polemic in a Sentence

Her book is a fierce polemic against the inequalities in our society.

They managed to discuss the issues without resorting to polemics.

Recent Examples on the Web

The recipe is simple: join social media groups and subscribe to online news sources filled with people who think exactly like you and spend all day in those spaces blasting political polemics into your eyeballs. —Tracy Hresko Pearl, Baltimore Sun, 27 Jan. 2025

The question distinguishes the essay from the less adventurous forms of expository prose—the dissertation, the polemic, the article, the campaign speech, the tract, the op-ed, the arrest warrant, the hotel bill. —Harper’s Magazine, Harper's Magazine, 2 Oct. 2024

As Deadline told you first, Sony is back in business with Chandor with the director helming an untitled contemporary drama thriller centering around the polemics of capitalism, with the story involving an investigation into a death in a moneyed dynastic family. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 15 Dec. 2024

Amazon In this scathing polemic, Blanc traces the origins of the international conservation movement to the colonial era and argues that conservation organizations have exhibited a complete disregard for the welfare of people in Africa. —Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

French polémique, from Middle French, from polemique controversial, from Greek polemikos warlike, hostile, from polemos war; perhaps akin to Greek pelemizein to shake, Old English ealfelo baleful

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

polemic

noun

po·​lem·​ic pə-ˈlem-ik 

: an aggressive attack on the opinions or beliefs of another

polemical

-ˈlem-i-kəl

adjective

also polemic

polemically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb