disputed

American  

[dih-spyoo-tid] / dɪˈspyu tɪd /

adjective

1. argued or debated about.

   Just when and where the religious practice of the “camp meeting” originated is a disputed question.

2. argued against; called into question.

   He stood by his widely disputed claim that margarine is better for you than butter.

3. quarreled or fought over; contested.

   As negotiations continue, the security situation in the disputed territories is tense and shows signs of escalating.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of dispute.

Other Word Forms

• undisputed adjective
• undisputedly adverb
• well-disputed adjective

Etymology

Origin of disputed

First recorded in 1605–15; dispute ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; dispute ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Disagreement over the border dates back more than a century, but tension increased early this year after a group of Cambodian women sang patriotic songs in a disputed temple.

From BBC

Under the truce, Cambodia and Thailand pledged to cease fire, freeze troop movements and cooperate on demining efforts along their disputed frontier.

From Barron's

The latest tensions ramped up earlier this year, after a group of Cambodian women sang patriotic songs in a disputed temple.

From BBC

Other analysts have disputed those links, however, and research on Lakurawa is complicated as the term has been used to describe various armed fighters in the northwest.

From Barron's

The defense ministers of Thailand and Cambodia on Saturday signed a cease-fire meant to end three weeks of deadly fighting along their disputed border.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• debatable
• moot
• unchallenged
• undecided
• undetermined
• unnoticed
• unsettled