controversy

American  

[kon-truh-vur-see, kuhn-trov-er-see] / ˈkɒn trəˌvɜr si, kənˈtrɒv ər si /

noun

• controversies
  plural

1. a prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; disputation concerning a matter of opinion.

   Synonyms:

   altercation, disagreement

2. contention, strife, or argument.

   Synonyms:

   wrangle, quarrel

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controversy British  

/ kənˈtrɒvəsɪ, ˈkɒntrəˌvɜːsɪ, ˌkɒntrəˈvɜːʃəl /

noun

1. dispute, argument, or debate, esp one concerning a matter about which there is strong disagreement and esp one carried on in public or in the press

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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

• controversialism
  noun
• controversialist
  noun
• precontroversy
  noun
• controversial
  adjective
• controversially
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• controversies
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

controversy controversies

The Dutch-born Hoekstra also faced controversy while serving as US ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

Vikram has not commented on the controversy yet.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

While trying to position Cracker Barrel for the future, she had become the public face of its biggest controversy in years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

Zoo has been roiled in controversy and legal fights for years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

In all this cloud of controversy, what are the actual facts?

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

You are likely already familiar with Piker’s controversies.

From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026

The organisation replaced the Scottish Qualifications Authority, which was scrapped after a series of controversies, including the downgrading of some students during the Covid pandemic.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

The special enforcement bureau, which handles high-risk tactical operations like barricaded suspects and hostage situations, has been at the center of several recent controversies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Pradhan, facing growing pressure over the handling of exam controversies, said Tuesday the government remained committed to reform.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

I worked the printing presses at the Idisher Kuryer, which rarely delved into politics and spent its page space kvetching about community controversies.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• argument
• bickering
• difference
• discussion
• fuss
• quarrel
• squabble
• strife
• wrangle
• wrangling