disputed

[dih-spyoo-tid]

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.

verb

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

Other Word Forms

• undisputed adjective
• undisputedly adverb
• well-disputed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of disputed¹

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

Gunvor disputed that claim, saying it was “fundamentally misinformed and false.”

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Siddiq's lawyers have disputed she is a Bangladeshi citizen, telling the Financial Times she has "never had" an ID card or voter ID, and "has not held a passport since she was a child".

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Beijing quickly retaliated by sending Chinese coast guard vessels into waters around disputed islands and military drones near an outlying Japanese island.

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But it is a claim disputed by some experts.

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A person familiar with India’s investigation process disputed that, and said officials pursued various aspects of the investigation simultaneously.

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Related Words

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