controversy
Americannoun
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a prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; disputation concerning a matter of opinion.
- Synonyms:
- altercation, disagreement
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contention, strife, or argument.
noun
Usage
What does controversy mean? A controversy is a prolonged dispute, debate, or state of contention, especially one that unfolds in public and involves a stark difference of opinion. Controversy can refer to a specific dispute, as in The recent controversy started three weeks ago, or a general state of contention, as in Important literature usually results in controversy. The adjective form controversial is used to describe someone or something that causes people to get upset and argue. Example: The controversy surrounding the candidate’s past remarks has overshadowed the campaign.
Synonym Usage
See argument.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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controversialismnoun
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controversialistnoun
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precontroversynoun
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controversialadjective
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controversiallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of controversy
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English controversie, from Anglo-French, from Latin contrōversia, from contrōvers(us) “turned against, disputed” ( contrō-, variant of contrā “against” + versus “turned,” past participle of vertere “to turn”) + -ia -y 3
Explanation
A controversy is a dispute or argument in which people express strong opposing views. When a popular TV show kills off a well-loved character, there's bound to be a lot of controversy. Controversy means a quarrel (often public) involving strong disagreement, but the topic can be as unimportant as a new movie. There might be a controversy in the pages of fashion magazines over whether shorter hems are really in style, or about wearing white after Labor Day. Controversy is from the Latin contrōversus, "turned in an opposite direction," from the prefix contrā, "against," plus versus, a form of vertere, "to turn."
Vocabulary lists containing controversy
The Bill of Rights
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 3
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Against All Odds: Contra and Counter
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Early proceedings of the trial, which began in March, were marked by a controversy.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
But the sudden and unpublicized switcheroo stunned Wall Street analysts and caused a bit of a mini controversy.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
The lawmakers, in the two letters, did not wade into the controversy over “The View.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
It came from an online ecosystem that rewarded outrage, controversy and extreme personalities.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
Lucretia was unaware that a controversy was already brewing about Bliss’s treatment of the president.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
The protests follow a series of controversies that have undermined trust in India's testing system, including the leak of a medical entrance examination paper that forced more than two million candidates to retake the test.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Platner galvanized an enthusiastic base of supporters and weathered months of controversies surrounding his personal life by selling a story of redemption and what he called “healthy” masculinity.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
Despite his controversies, UFC chiefs appeared to believe McGregor would still draw eyes to the sport and make the promotion money without affecting the brand.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
The Politico report came after a string of other controversies for Platner, who had successfully batted them away ahead of the state’s June primary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
But of all their controversies, none was so bitter as the one that took place over the windmill.
From "Animal Farm: A Fairy Story" by George Orwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
