controversial

adjective

ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-shəl How to pronounce controversial (audio)
Definition of controversialnext
1
as in contentious
relating to or causing the expression of opposing opinions tried to avoid controversial topics over the holiday dinner table

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polemical
given to arguing controversial by temperament, she's the sort of political attack dog who kills all hope of bipartisanship

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of controversial The backstory In 1957, prominent and controversial Irish architect Sam Stephenson purchased the former stables of the Fitzwilliam Place townhouse for £1,000. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026 In a cafe in Mexico City once in the mid-Fifties, Pan spurred Rivera into a debate that Pan believed to have led Rivera to change the most controversial element in one of his most scandalous works. — David Hajdu, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026 Council members approved the controversial resolution by a narrow vote of 8-7 late Monday, authorizing Mayor Andre Dickens and his administration to sell the Atlanta City Detention Center. — Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Meta has collaborated with Kylie Jenner and Ray-Ban to make their controversial AI glasses more aesthetically pleasing, and real robots are closer than ever before to the world of fashion. — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for controversial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controversial
  1. contentious
  2. polemical
  3. aggressive
Adjective
  • This issue is particularly relevant in California, where billionaire wealth is often tied to technology companies, startup equity and other illiquid assets whose valuations can fluctuate sharply and become contentious.
    — Trevor Laurence Jockims, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • It was conceived following months of extensive negotiation that grew contentious at times between Zuckerberg and board members, including DoorDash CEO Tony Xu, Ambassador Robert Kimmitt, and ex-Microsoft executive Charles Songhurst.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of contentious
Adjective
  • The title that evokes Ernest Hemingway points at the polemical nature of some of the essays in the book.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Even so, the film’s gaze is more anthropological than polemical, especially given the faux-doc vibe created by its abundant handheld camerawork, seemingly filmed sometimes by the actors themselves.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of polemical
Adjective
  • Bam Adebayo wasn’t aggressive enough on the offensive side of the ball, which has been a consistent story line of his nine-year NBA career.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
  • On a network like this, rule-breaking often isn’t aggressive at all.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of aggressive

Browse Nearby Words

controls
controversial
controversies
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Controversial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controversial. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All