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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of controversy
On a new episode of Call Her Daddy, Wilde digs in, addressing many of those controversies head-on while eliding others.
—
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 June 2026
From award-winning filmmakers Robert Gordon and Joe Lauro, and drawn entirely from rare and previously unseen archival footage, Newport & The Great Folk Dream shows how music can illuminate struggle, inspire courage and stir passionate controversy.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 17 June 2026
Major League Baseball has once again found itself in the middle of a controversy of its own making.
—Ian Miller , Alexandra Koch Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026
At an earlier point in his career, Lil Nas X was a lightning rod for attention — whether in the form of Number One singles or outraged controversy surrounding his visual output.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 June 2026
From award-winning filmmakers Robert Gordon and Joe Lauro, and drawn entirely from rare and previously unseen archival footage, Newport & The Great Folk Dream shows how music can illuminate struggle, inspire courage and stir passionate controversy.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 17 June 2026
Major League Baseball has once again found itself in the middle of a controversy of its own making.
—Ian Miller , Alexandra Koch Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026
At an earlier point in his career, Lil Nas X was a lightning rod for attention — whether in the form of Number One singles or outraged controversy surrounding his visual output.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for controversy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversy
Noun
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The dispute has opened a new front in a years-long fight over transparency at the shelter, which has faced multiple investigations into overcrowding, animal deaths and a sharp decline in transfers to rescue groups.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
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As bitcoin becomes more involved in private contracts, treasury strategies, cross border settlement and business arrangements, disputes will not always arrive in court as dramatic stories about hacks or scams.—
Susie Violet Ward,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
The breakout success of these films has ignited debate across Hollywood about what made these movies so popular, especially among Gen Z moviegoers who haven’t been flocking to cinemas in recent years.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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Major League Baseball's warning to several San Francisco Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on their Pride Night caps is fueling online debate about the limits of free expression in professional baseball.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Noun
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Martinez had been attending court hearings over a charge of third-degree assault and breach of peace after an altercation with her sister-in-law over a babysitting dispute and was assigned anger management classes, the document states.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
16 June 2026
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So far, detectives have found no evidence of a physical altercation or foul play.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
This did not, however, mark the end of disputation concerning the Northwest Angle.—
Scott Spires,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
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According to him, advances in machine learning have yanked questions once trapped inside theological/philosophical disputations into corporate board packs.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The deadlock reflected significant disagreement among jurors over the brothers' motives and the credibility of their abuse claims.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
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Ken Griffin In one of the most notable disagreements so far, Mamdani and Griffin became entangled in drama after the mayor announced his new pied‑à‑terre tax proposal aimed at wealthier residents in the city.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
Noun
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The victim got into a quarrel inside Bob’s Classic Barber Shop on Albany Ave.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
10 June 2026
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Rounding out the top five names were seven write-in votes for the Sacramento Capitals or Capitols — which could be nicknamed the Caps to avoid quarrels over the spelling — and six votes for the Sacramento Stingers or Sting, referencing the collegiate Sacramento State Hornets.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Rejoining will necessitate difficult negotiations over the terms of re-entry and, doubtless, a heated argument at home.—
Anand Menon,
Time,
13 June 2026
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Opponents’ arguments, however, go beyond the $225 million increase to the details of financing.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Most baseball fights produce a little shoving, occasional hugging, some dancing and pulled powderpuff punches.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
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Coming just three days after launch, and after tech leaders and social media influencers showcased Fable’s leap in performance over earlier models, the sudden block has become a larger fight over who decides when an AI system is too powerful for open access.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Controversy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversy. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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