controversial

[ kon-truh-vur-shuhl ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of controversy, or prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; polemical:

   a controversial book.

2. subject to controversy; debatable:

   a controversial decision.

   Synonyms: questionable, arguable

3. given to controversy; argumentative; disputatious:

   a controversial public figure.

Other Words From

• contro·versial·ism noun
• contro·versial·ist noun
• contro·versial·ly adverb
• noncon·tro·versial adjective
• noncon·tro·versial·ly adverb
• precon·tro·versial adjective
• uncon·tro·versial adjective
• uncon·tro·versial·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of controversial¹

First recorded in 1575–85; from Late Latin contrōversiālis; equivalent to controversy + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Daoud, who moved to Paris in 2020 and took French nationality, is a controversial figure in Algeria, where he is accused by some of selling out to the former colonial power.

From BBC

It’s still controversial in some circles, as was seen in the recent election, when politicians made often contradictory pronouncements about it.

From New York Times

Trump’s most controversial Cabinet nominees are ideologues and eccentrics chosen for loyalty.

From Los Angeles Times

The recently released report brings more questions to what was already gearing up to be a controversial confirmation process for Hegseth’s nomination as U.S. secretary of Defense.

From Los Angeles Times

But the project was highly controversial and police in Northern Ireland later gained access to the tapes for use as evidence in ongoing murder inquiries.

From BBC

Related Words

• contentious
• disputed
• dubious
• questionable

More About Controversial

What does controversial mean?

Controversial is used to describe someone or something that causes people to get upset and argue.

Controversial is the adjective form of the noun controversy, which is a prolonged dispute, debate, or state of contention, especially one that unfolds in public and involves a stark difference of opinion. Things commonly called controversial include topics, actions, and people (particularly for what they say and do).

Example: Questions about the candidate’s controversial remarks from the past prevented him from talking about his campaign.

Where does controversial come from?

The first records of controversial in English come from around the 1580s. It comes from the Latin controversialis, which is ultimately derived from the roots contrā, meaning “against” (as seen in words like contrary), and vertere, meaning “to turn” (as in the word versus).

Yes, something that’s controversial causes people to turn against each other. People say and do things all the time that cause arguments or debate (and the strife and discord that come with them), but we most often apply controversial to those things when they play out in public. There’s a reason for that: the more public something is, the more people will engage with it. And when people are involved, there’s no shortage of opinions. The formula for controversy is very simple: a lot of opinions plus a lot of passion. Topics traditionally known as controversial include religion and politics, probably because those are two areas where people are least willing to compromise. In this way, topics that are controversial can be polarizing, meaning that they divide people into very specific groups based on their very specific opinions.

People (particularly public figures) are called controversial when they do or say things that get other people worked up. (Of course, some people are controversial on purpose, especially to attract attention.)

People sometimes criticize the use of the word controversial, especially by the media, to describe something that they argue is not just contentious but plain wrong in some way, as in His remarks weren’t controversial—they were racist.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to controversial?

• controversy (noun)
• controversially (adverb)
• controversialism (noun)
• controversialist (noun)
• uncontroversial (adjective)
• uncontroversially (adverb)
• noncontroversial (adjective)
• noncontroversially (adverb)
• precontroversial (adjective)

What are some synonyms for controversial?

• contentious
• disputable
• dubious
• arguable
• questionable

What are some words that often get used in discussing controversial?

 

• opinion
• argument
• public
• media
• political
• polarizing
• divisive

How is controversial used in real life?

Just about any topic can be controversial if people feel strongly about it and disagree. Most often the word is used when such disagreement happens in public and is documented (and, yes, sometimes played up) by the media.

The new rules, which are now scheduled to be in place on April 1, will change how doctors are paid. One of the most controversial developments involves changes to a fee known as a complex care modifier, which doctors were able to charge if visits took longer than 15 minutes.

— Hellberta (@Hell_Berta) February 29, 2020

controversial take: even “great” macarons are hot garbage.

— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 27, 2017

'Controversial' is a fun way of saying unconstitutional and borderline illegal … https://t.co/WOl1TQuRfk

— Grouchy Broderick (@TheImpeccableG) March 3, 2020

 

 

Try using controversial!

Which of the following is an antonym (opposite) of controversial?

A. debatable
B. polemical
C. questionable
D. undisputed