controversy
Americannoun
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controversies
plural
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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:
Michael Che returned to the execution controversy, joking that the Pentagon’s proposed livestream would mark the first public execution in the United States since “a couple of weeks ago,” drawing groans from the audience.
From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026
One of Alshrafi's photos, showing footballers playing on a pitch surrounded by rubble in Gaza, sparked controversy in France in August.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026
He called himself "Sir Wicknell", a nod to the embellishment that epitomised his lifestyle - and a nickname some used for the 45-year-old who packed enough controversy into his short life to last several lifetimes.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
LACMA’s new Peter Zumthor-designed building opened to the public in April and was greeted with equal parts praise and controversy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026
The importance of an intellectual change simply cannot be measured by the amount of controversy it generates.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Ironically, though, these pet peeves and controversies have only made that community stronger.
From Slate ● Oct. 11, 2026
At the union’s home base in Detroit, Fain has been bogged down in internal controversies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
It became one of the biggest controversies of Chivayo's business career.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
She has steered clear of controversies that have occurred at CBS News since Bari Weiss was installed as editor-in-chief, and showed a willingness to step up for big assignments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 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
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.
