disputing

verb

present participle of dispute
1
as in questioning
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of a whole slew of relatives eager to dispute his claim to being the sole heir

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2
as in bickering
to express different opinions about something often angrily hometown fans disputing with visiting fans over which had the better team

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in discussing
to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion in an extended session the city council disputed the need for a new high school

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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 disputing What matters most is identifying which types of disputes are ineligible, which are worth disputing, which patterns present greater risks and which internal processes need to be improved before similar disputes arise in the future. — Christine Cooper, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 What can wait beyond the first day Some recovery tasks will continue beyond the first day, including disputing fraudulent accounts, correcting credit reports and following up with creditors. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Art of Play subsequently responded on social media, disputing Clarkson’s account of the interaction and explaining that the item in question was a mechanical singing bird named Molly. — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026 Purists may debate the merits of servicing and restoration, but there’s no disputing the bragging rights that come with owning a Daytona tied to one of motorsport’s historic victories. — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026 James posted on his Instagram story Tuesday night disputing what Breen said. — Cbs Philadelphia, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 But only five years later, in November 2020, the military’s proxy party lost a second consecutive election and, three months later, after disputing the results, seized power through a coup. — Andrew Nachemson, The Dial, 22 Sep. 2026 During a Tuesday night press briefing, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman stated that the officer and Smith exchanged gunfire near North 38th and West Wright streets − a claim the family is disputing after reviewing body camera footage. — April Quevedo, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2026 Longtime Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, through attorney Bryan Freedman, is disputing reports that she has been fired by Fox News Media. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disputing
  1. questioning
  2. bickering
  3. discussing
  4. contesting
  5. arguing
  6. debating
  7. challenging
  8. fighting
Verb
  • People can appreciate the convenience of social media while questioning its effects on children.
    — Will Johnson, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Fierros, who is believed to be armed, is wanted for questioning, the sheriff's office said.
    — Briauna Brown, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of questioning
Verb
  • Like law enforcement agents everywhere, they’re disposed to bickering about jurisdiction or pumping each other for off-limits information.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
  • There’s striker Josie Gordon, bickering twin sisters Siobhan and Niamh, glove-shunning goalie Katie ‘Boots’ Quinn and couple Maddie and Margy.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of bickering
Verb
  • The drugmakers aren’t discussing what such a cancer vaccine might cost.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • While discussing the weapons, White allegedly gestured toward her torso and asked whether the guns could penetrate an agentâs body armor.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of discussing
Verb
  • Boyles responded that the groups were contesting the decisions based on the law, and not asking the panel to substitute its own views about wolves for those of the federal government.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Seid paid all fines and tickets without contesting them, Axios reported.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of contesting
Verb
  • The Virginia appeals court is being asked to invalidate the amendment, arguing state lawmakers failed to follow proper procedures before putting it before voters.
    — Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Means, along with his sister, came to prominence within the MAHA movement by arguing that ultraprocessed foods, additives and pesticides could be blamed for many of the chronic health conditions facing Americans.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of arguing
Verb
  • The vaccine may also usher in a new wave of treatments for other types of cancer, though experts are debating how broadly applicable the technology could be.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In the early 1980s, Resnicoff says that Congress was debating the Religious Apparel Amendment, which would have allowed Jews serving in the military to cover their heads.
    — Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of debating
Verb
  • Residential growth, in particular, can be challenging to manage because of the cost of providing county services, Helms said.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • That shift, often associated with luxury dupe culture, is challenging traditional ideas about status, brand loyalty and what counts as a smart buy.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of challenging
Verb
  • The discovery raises the possibility of a grim outcome in the search for the four men, which has led to El Salvador deploying 450 special forces soldiers to Haiti as of Friday to aid the gang-fighting force in the search.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The whole idea is for Israel to keep fighting, because endless wars serve Netanyahu to maintain… a constant state of emergency.
    — Daniel Estrin, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of fighting

Browse Nearby Words

disputes
disputing
disqualification
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Cite this Entry

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

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