1
as in disputes
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
the seemingly imperishable controversy over the teaching of evolution
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in disputations
variance of opinion on a matter
there is considerable controversy regarding the assassination of President Kennedy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of controversies
That means the lower courts will have the final say on many important controversies.
—
Carrie Johnson, NPR, 3 Jan. 2025
This year’s ceremony is the second under new leadership after the Hollywood Foreign Press Association was dissolved following controversies including allegations the HFPA had no Black members, ran smear campaigns and engaged in questionable financial practices.
—Conor Murray, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Chiles won team gold at the Paris Olympics but became embroiled in one of the biggest controversies of the Games when she was instructed to give up her individual floor exercise bronze medal to Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu after a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
—Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Online reactions to controversies involving celebrity women over the past several years have varied.
—Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 2 Jan. 2025
The singer has been at the center of many controversies over the years, most recently in July during a performance in Denver, Colorado.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
As Nuno pointed out in a November press conference, one thing that has been at the heart of Forest’s success has been the lack of distractions, following on from the PSR and VAR controversies of last season.
—Paul Taylor, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
What To Know The former news anchor left her position at FOX 10 Phoenix in 2021 after two decades and a list of controversies, including sharing unverified information on social media and COVID-19 misinformation during the pandemic.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024
Tabloid-friendly conflicts on a reality show or attention-grabbing controversies, such as promoting appetite-suppressant lollipops, might seem incompatible with penning op-eds for NBC News in support of the release of the Menendez brothers.
—Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2024
Carrie Johnson, NPR, 3 Jan. 2025
This year’s ceremony is the second under new leadership after the Hollywood Foreign Press Association was dissolved following controversies including allegations the HFPA had no Black members, ran smear campaigns and engaged in questionable financial practices.
—Conor Murray, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
Chiles won team gold at the Paris Olympics but became embroiled in one of the biggest controversies of the Games when she was instructed to give up her individual floor exercise bronze medal to Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu after a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
—Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Online reactions to controversies involving celebrity women over the past several years have varied.
—Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 2 Jan. 2025
The singer has been at the center of many controversies over the years, most recently in July during a performance in Denver, Colorado.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
As Nuno pointed out in a November press conference, one thing that has been at the heart of Forest’s success has been the lack of distractions, following on from the PSR and VAR controversies of last season.
—Paul Taylor, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
What To Know The former news anchor left her position at FOX 10 Phoenix in 2021 after two decades and a list of controversies, including sharing unverified information on social media and COVID-19 misinformation during the pandemic.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024
Tabloid-friendly conflicts on a reality show or attention-grabbing controversies, such as promoting appetite-suppressant lollipops, might seem incompatible with penning op-eds for NBC News in support of the release of the Menendez brothers.
—Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversies
Noun
-
Economic progress is the happy end result of disagreements expressed.—
John Tamny,
Forbes,
26 Dec. 2024
-
Despite disagreements with Martin over the party platform, Engelhart said Martin is the best candidate in the running.—
Dana Ferguson,
NPR,
26 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The arrest was the culminating incident in a string of altercations between the couple over their son Lyrik, then 5.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
21 Mar. 2025
-
There have been almost no physical altercations in the Little Scandinavia unit, for example.—
ByJennifer Couzin-Frankel,
science.org,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The panel explicitly rejected arguments distinguishing OSC’s power from other executive agencies, reinforcing expansive executive authority in this area.—
Kaelan Deese,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Defence lawyers sought a closed trial, but their arguments were rejected by the judge in mid-February and it will be held in open court.—
Liam Tharme,
The Athletic,
24 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Controversies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversies. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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