Controversial Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

The meaning of CONTROVERSIAL is of, relating to, or arousing controversy. How to use controversial in a sentence. Login SignUp Hello, Games&Quizzes Thesaurus WordoftheDay Features BuyingGuide M-WBooks JoinMWU MyWordsMyWords ViewRecents Account LogOut controversial adjective SaveWord con·​tro·​ver·​sial |\ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-shəl ,-ˈvər-sē-əl\ Definitionofcontroversial 1 :of,relatingto,orarousingcontroversy acontroversialpolicyacontroversialfilm 2 :giventocontroversy:disputatious acontroversialtemperamentThecontroversialbiologistcausedafermentamonghiscolleagues. OtherWordsfromcontroversial Synonyms&Antonyms MoreExampleSentences LearnMoreAboutcontroversial OtherWordsfromcontroversial controversialism \ ˌkän-​trə-​ˈvər-​shə-​ˌli-​zəm ,-​sē-​ə-​ˌli-​ \ noun controversialist \ ˌkän-​trə-​ˈvər-​shə-​list ,-​sē-​ə-​list \ noun controversially adverb Synonyms&Antonymsforcontroversial Synonyms argumentative,contentious,disputatious,hot-button,polemical(alsopolemic) Antonyms noncontroversial,safe,uncontroversial VisittheThesaurusforMore  ExamplesofcontroversialinaSentence Abortionisahighlycontroversialsubject. adecisionthatremainscontroversial Heisacontroversialauthor. RecentExamplesontheWeb ThemanbehindtheDawnProject,techfounderandbillionaireDanO’Dowd,hasbecomeanunlikelyandcontroversialleaderofthelattergroup. — GerritDeVynck,WashingtonPost,25Aug.2022 Morefrustratingly,theshowhasatendencytoavertitseyesfromanymattertoocomplicatedorpotentiallycontroversial. — AngieHan,TheHollywoodReporter,24Aug.2022 Greenhasbeeninvolvedinseveralhigh-profileandcontroversialcasesforUtah. — BryanSchott,TheSaltLakeTribune,24Aug.2022 Butzero-zerowinemakingisstillfringeintheoverallwinescene—andcontroversial. — KateKassin,BonAppétit,21Aug.2022 ButthecontroversialandoftenprofaneLePagelaunchedacomebackcampaignforathirdterminJuly2021. — MattYan,BostonGlobe.com,19Aug.2022 Cobaltismorecontestedandcontroversial,withapricethatincreasedmorethan50percentbetweenMarch2021andMarch2022. — CarolineDelbert,PopularMechanics,18Aug.2022 Medicarecostssurgedbecauseoftheplan'scoverageofthecostlyandcontroversialAlzheimer'sdrugAduhelm. — AimeePicchi,CBSNews,11Aug.2022 Forlocals,thisbrutalandhighlycontroversialcustomisasacredritual. — SilviaMarchetti,CNN,11Aug.2022 SeeMore Theseexamplesentencesareselectedautomaticallyfromvariousonlinenewssourcestoreflectcurrentusageoftheword'controversial.'ViewsexpressedintheexamplesdonotrepresenttheopinionofMerriam-Websteroritseditors.Sendusfeedback. FirstKnownUseofcontroversial 1583,inthemeaningdefinedatsense1 HistoryandEtymologyforcontroversial seecontroversy LearnMoreAboutcontroversial Sharecontroversial PosttheDefinitionofcontroversialtoFacebook SharetheDefinitionofcontroversialonTwitter TimeTravelerforcontroversial Thefirstknownuseofcontroversialwas in1583 Seemorewordsfromthesameyear FromtheEditorsatMerriam-Webster TheNewsOn'Nontroversy' TheNewsOn'Nontroversy' There'snothingtoseehere,butthereissomethingtoread. DictionaryEntriesNearcontroversial controverse controversial controversion SeeMoreNearbyEntries  Statisticsforcontroversial LastUpdated 28Aug2022 Look-upPopularity CitethisEntry “Controversial.”Merriam-Webster.comDictionary,Merriam-Webster,https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/controversial.Accessed30Aug.2022. Style:MLA MLA Chicago APA Merriam-Webster MoreDefinitionsforcontroversial controversial adjective con·​tro·​ver·​sial |\ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-shəl \ KidsDefinitionofcontroversial :relatingtoorcausingdisagreementorargument acontroversiallaw MorefromMerriam-Websteroncontroversial Nglish:TranslationofcontroversialforSpanishSpeakers BritannicaEnglish:TranslationofcontroversialforArabicSpeakers WORDOFTHEDAY effulgence SeeDefinitionsandExamples» GetWordoftheDaydailyemail! TestYourVocabulary CommonlyConfusedWordsQuiz Iwenttothe______storetobuyabirthdaycard. stationery stationary Testyourvocabularywithour10-questionquiz! TAKETHEQUIZ Adailychallengeforcrosswordfanatics. TAKETHEQUIZ SubscribetoAmerica'slargestdictionaryandgetthousandsmoredefinitionsandadvancedsearch—adfree! Merriam-Websterunabridged WordsatPlay 'Dunderhead'andOther‘Nicer’WaystoSayStupid Asillustratedbysomeverysmartpups 10WordsfromPlaceNames Bikini,bourbon,andbadmintonwereplacesfirst 'Pride':TheWordThatWentFromVicetoStrength DoyoutakeprideinPride? WhenWereWordsFirstUsed? Lookupanyyeartofindout AsktheEditors Literally Howtouseawordthat(literally)drivessomepe... 'AllIntensivePurposes'or'AllIntentsandPurposes'? We'reintentonclearingitup Layvs.Lie EditorEmilyBrewsterclarifiesthedifference. HotMess "Thepublicisahotmess" WordGames NameThatThingMegaQuiz! Testyourvisualvocabulary! Takethequiz WhatAreYouWearing? Rollupyoursleevesandidentifythesegarments Takethequiz HowStrongIsYourVocabulary? Testyourvocabularywithour10-questionquiz! Takethequiz SpellingBeeQuiz CanyououtdopastwinnersoftheNationalSpelli... Takethequiz