controversial

[ kon-truh-vur-shuhl ]
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adjective
  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of controversy, or prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; polemical: a controversial book.

  2. subject to controversy; debatable: a controversial decision.

  1. given to controversy; argumentative; disputatious: a controversial public figure.

Origin of controversial

1
First recorded in 1575–85; from Late Latin contrōversiālis; equivalent to controversy + -al1

Other words for controversial

Other words from controversial

  • con·tro·ver·sial·ism, noun
  • con·tro·ver·sial·ist, noun
  • con·tro·ver·sial·ly, adverb
  • non·con·tro·ver·sial, adjective
  • non·con·tro·ver·sial·ly, adverb
  • pre·con·tro·ver·sial, adjective
  • un·con·tro·ver·sial, adjective
  • un·con·tro·ver·sial·ly, adverb

Words Nearby controversial

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use controversial in a sentence