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

The attorney, David Fink, disputed the loss on the renewable fuels project.

From The Wall Street Journal

And the 1.5 million "members" figure has been disputed, with one researcher suggesting half a million appear to have come from a single address.

From BBC

DHS officials have disputed that characterization, saying the father fled on foot and that an agent stayed with Liam for his safety.

From Salon

Experts note that this approach could introduce bias, especially when the identity of a track was uncertain or disputed.

From Science Daily

In an internal message sent to employees earlier this week, the group said that the disputed contract, awarded in December, was "the subject of an appeal".

From Barron's

Related Words

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