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 /

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

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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

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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

Still, for anyone remaining on the fence, it might not help that some of the pastors who’ve put their support behind Ramaswamy are steeped in controversy.

From Slate ● Oct. 23, 2026

But the Brewers hope their solution to their unexpected World Series controversy is the next best thing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

For Professor Gareth Collins of Imperial College London, the discovery brings a satisfying conclusion to a controversy he witnessed firsthand.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2026

But the controversy surrounding its release suggests that, more than two decades after Ali G first appeared, the debate over who exactly is being laughed at is far from settled.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

And now we come to the most bogus controversy of all.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Maher said the two high-profile controversies have distracted the conversation around the death penalty away from the fundamental question of whether the US should use capital punishment in the first place.

From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026

Dourif has never generated any significant controversies to our knowledge, but his appearance is notable because it contradicts his 2024 retirement announcement.

From Salon ● Oct. 18, 2026

Ironically, though, these pet peeves and controversies have only made that community stronger.

From Slate ● Oct. 11, 2026

But whether it’s fast enough to outrun its controversies remains to be seen.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Their religious experience may have been turbulent and filled with controversies, reforms and revolutions.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

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Related Words

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

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