controversial
Americanadjective
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of controversy, or prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; polemical.
a controversial book.
-
subject to controversy; debatable.
a controversial decision.
- Synonyms:
- questionable, arguable
-
given to controversy; argumentative; disputatious.
a controversial public figure.
Usage
What does controversial mean? Controversial is used to describe someone or something that causes people to get upset and argue.Controversial is the adjective form of the noun controversy, which is a prolonged dispute, debate, or state of contention, especially one that unfolds in public and involves a stark difference of opinion. Things commonly called controversial include topics, actions, and people (particularly for what they say and do).Example: Questions about the candidate’s controversial remarks from the past prevented him from talking about his campaign.
Other Word Forms
- controversialism noun
- controversialist noun
- controversially adverb
- noncontroversial adjective
- noncontroversially adverb
- precontroversial adjective
- uncontroversial adjective
- uncontroversially adverb
Etymology
Origin of controversial
First recorded in 1575–85; from Late Latin contrōversiālis; equivalent to controversy + -al 1
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.
The event is routinely filled with unexpected winners and controversial decisions.
From Los Angeles Times
The 48-year-old American has long been a controversial figure, often criticized for an overly defensive style, and accused by some of dodging the most dangerous opponents simply to embellish his record.
From Barron's
She’s white, she comes from money and her first film ended on a controversial note that has stuck to her ever since.
From Salon
But the film had a strong, sometimes controversial presence in the room beyond its trophies: In the film, Aramayo portrays Davidson, a notable advocate for Tourette’s syndrome awareness who suffers from the disorder.
From Los Angeles Times
In communities striving for investment, the flood of money is adding to local governments’ sense of urgency to decide if the increasingly controversial industry should set up shop.
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.
