Controversy Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

1 : a discussion marked especially by the expression of opposing views : dispute The decision aroused a controversy among the students. 2 : quarrel, strife. Login SignUp Hello, Games&Quizzes Thesaurus WordoftheDay Features BuyingGuide M-WBooks JoinMWU MyWordsMyWords ViewRecents Account LogOut controversy noun SaveWord con·​tro·​ver·​sy |\ˈkän-trə-ˌvər-sē ,Britishalsokən-ˈträ-və-sē\ pluralcontroversies Definitionofcontroversy 1 :adiscussionmarkedespeciallybytheexpressionofopposingviews:dispute Thedecisionarousedacontroversyamongthestudents. 2 :quarrel,strife Synonyms MoreExampleSentences LearnMoreAboutcontroversy Synonymsforcontroversy Synonyms altercation,argle-bargle[chieflyBritish],argument,argy-bargy[chieflyBritish],battleroyal,bicker,brawl,contretemps,crossfire,disagreement,dispute,donnybrook,falling-out,fight,hassle,imbroglio,kickup,misunderstanding,quarrel,rhubarb,row,scrap,set-to,spat,squabble,tiff,wrangle VisittheThesaurusforMore  ExamplesofcontroversyinaSentence Thedecisionarousedmuchcontroversyamongthestudents. Thenewmovieisasubjectofcontroversy. Thereiscontroversysurroundingtheteam'sdecisiontotradethestarpitcher. Thecontroversyisoverwhetherheshouldbefiredornot. Acontroversyaroseoverthenewlaw. RecentExamplesontheWeb TheaffidavithasbecomeafocalpointofthecontroversysurroundingthesearchofMar-a-LagoonAug.8,whenFBIagentsinvestigatingmissingWhiteHouserecordsretrieved11setsofclassifieddocumentsinabout20boxes. — ErikLarson,Fortune,26Aug.2022 Thescienceisstillunfolding,andtherehasbeencontroversy. — BryantStamford,TheCourier-Journal,25Aug.2022 ThiscomesontheheelsofthecontroversysurroundingtheKardashian-Jennerfamily'suseofprivatejetstogoshortdistances—notagoodlook,consideringthattheclimateischangingatarapidpace. — KaraNesvig,Allure,23Aug.2022 OnTuesday,CarltonFunderburke,theseniorpastoratChurchattheWellinKansasCity,addressedthecontroversysurroundinghisAug.7sermoninaliveFacebookvideo. — StephanieWenger,Peoplemag,19Aug.2022 That’swhythecurrentcontroversysurroundingSanDiegoPadresstarFernandoTatis,Jr.offerssuchausefulreminderofthepowerofremorseinthecontextofanapology. — MichaelPeregrine,Forbes,18Aug.2022 SouthDakotaGovernorKristiNoemplanstoreleasenewdraftsocialstudiesstandardsforK-12studentsMonday,followingcontroversysurroundinganearlierdraftofthestandards. — KelseyKoberg,FoxNews,15Aug.2022 WhatisthecontroversysurroundingRushdie’sbooks? — AnthonyRobledo,USATODAY,12Aug.2022 Trumponceagainrepeatedhisstatementsaboutthelong-runningcontroversysurroundingBlumenthalandVietnamthatsurfacedinMay2010duringthecampaignagainstRepublicancandidateLindaMcMahon. — ChristopherKeating,HartfordCourant,8Aug.2022 SeeMore Theseexamplesentencesareselectedautomaticallyfromvariousonlinenewssourcestoreflectcurrentusageoftheword'controversy.'ViewsexpressedintheexamplesdonotrepresenttheopinionofMerriam-Websteroritseditors.Sendusfeedback. FirstKnownUseofcontroversy 15thcentury,inthemeaningdefinedatsense1 HistoryandEtymologyforcontroversy MiddleEnglishcontroversie,fromAnglo-French,fromLatincontroversia,fromcontroversusdisputable,literally,turnedagainst,fromcontro-(akintocontra-)+versus,pastparticipleofverteretoturn—moreatworth LearnMoreAboutcontroversy Sharecontroversy PosttheDefinitionofcontroversytoFacebook SharetheDefinitionofcontroversyonTwitter TimeTravelerforcontroversy Thefirstknownuseofcontroversywas inthe15thcentury Seemorewordsfromthesamecentury FromtheEditorsatMerriam-Webster '-Gate':NotesonaScandal '-Gate':NotesonaScandal Asuffixthatstinksofcorruption. TheNewsOn'Nontroversy' TheNewsOn'Nontroversy' There'snothingtoseehere,butthereissomethingtoread. DictionaryEntriesNearcontroversy controversion controversy controvert SeeMoreNearbyEntries  Statisticsforcontroversy LastUpdated 29Aug2022 Look-upPopularity CitethisEntry “Controversy.”Merriam-Webster.comDictionary,Merriam-Webster,https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/controversy.Accessed30Aug.2022. Style:MLA MLA Chicago APA Merriam-Webster MoreDefinitionsforcontroversy controversy noun con·​tro·​ver·​sy |\ˈkän-trə-ˌvər-sē \ pluralcontroversies KidsDefinitionofcontroversy 1 :argumentthatinvolvesmanypeoplewhostronglydisagreeaboutsomething:dispute 2 :quarrelentry1sense1 controversy noun con·​tro·​ver·​sy |\ˈkän-trə-ˌvər-sēBritalsokən-ˈträ-vər-sē \ pluralcontroversies Legal Definitionofcontroversy 1 :astateofdisputeordisagreement suitsatcommonlaw,wherethevalueincontroversyshallexceedtwentydollars—U.S.Constitutionamend.VII 2 :acivilactioninvolvingarealandimmediatedisputebetweenpartieswithadverseinterests Note: ArticleIIIoftheU.S.Constitutiongivesthejudiciarythepowertodecidecasesandcontroversies.ArticleIII'slimitationofthejudicialpowertocasesorcontroversiesrequiresthatanactionbroughtinthefederalcourtinvolvepartieswithstandingtosueandquestionsthatareripeandnotmoot. OtherWordsfromcontroversy controversial \ ˌkän-​trə-​ˈvər-​shəl,-​ˈvər-​sē-​əl \ adjective MorefromMerriam-Websteroncontroversy Nglish:TranslationofcontroversyforSpanishSpeakers BritannicaEnglish:TranslationofcontroversyforArabicSpeakers WORDOFTHEDAY effulgence SeeDefinitionsandExamples» GetWordoftheDaydailyemail! TestYourVocabulary WordsNamedAfterPeople Namesakeoftheleotard,JulesLéotardhadwhatprofession? Acrobat Firefighter Judge Surgeon 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... 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