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controversy
[ kon-truh-vur-see; British also kuhn-trov-er-see ]
noun
- a prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; disputation concerning a matter of opinion.
Synonyms: altercation, disagreement
- contention, strife, or argument.
controversy
/ kənˈtrɒvəsɪ; ˈkɒntrəˌvɜːsɪ; ˌkɒntrəˈvɜːʃəl /
noun
- dispute, argument, or debate, esp one concerning a matter about which there is strong disagreement and esp one carried on in public or in the press
Derived Forms
- ˌcontroˈversialˌism, noun
- ˌcontroˈversially, adverb
- controversial, adjective
- ˌcontroˈversialist, noun
Other Words From
- pre·contro·versy noun plural precontroversies
Word History and Origins
Origin of controversy1
Word History and Origins
Origin of controversy1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
A banana that for years has stirred controversy in the art world sold for $6.2 million with fees at Sotheby’s contemporary art auction on Wednesday night.
Two years ago, the actor found herself in an Oscars controversy after being snubbed for ‘Till.’
Before the screening, Rachel Mason, a close friend of Hutchins who filmed a documentary about the making of Rust, recalled how difficult it was to complete the movie with all the controversy surrounding it.
MrBeast, the world's most popular YouTuber, will launch Beast Games on Amazon Prime Video on 19 December, although that show has been at the centre of controversy.
Discovery’s streaming service Max on Dec. 20, adding to the controversy over the limited theatrical run for what could be the storied star and filmmaker’s final movie.
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More About Controversy
What does controversy mean?
A controversy is a prolonged dispute, debate, or state of contention, especially one that unfolds in public and involves a stark difference of opinion.
Controversy can refer to a specific dispute, as in The recent controversy started three weeks ago, or a general state of contention, as in Important literature usually results in controversy.
The adjective form controversial is used to describe someone or something that causes people to get upset and argue.
Example: The controversy surrounding the candidate’s past remarks has overshadowed the campaign.
Where does controversy come from?
The first records of the word controversy come from the 1300s. It comes from the Latin contrōversia, which is equivalent to contrōvers(us), meaning “turned against” or “disputed.” The term ultimately derives from the roots contrā, meaning “against” (as seen in words like contrary), and vertere, meaning “to turn” (as in the word versus).
Yes, controversies cause 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 use the word controversy when these situations 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, controversies 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 cause controversy 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 controversy?
- controversial (adjective)
- controversially (adverb)
What are some words that share a root or word element with controversy?
What are some words that often get used in discussing controversy?
How is controversy used in real life?
The word controversy is most often used when such a dispute happens in public and is documented (and, yes, sometimes played up) by the media.
Protesters toppled and set aflame a statue of Albert Pike in Washington. The statue, funded by the Freemasons, was the only statue of a Confederate general in the nation's capital and a longtime source of controversy. https://t.co/suvVYzA9aR
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 20, 2020
1/ I’m not weighing in on the growing controversy about the complex rules applied to developers in @Apple’s App Store. Just based on what I’ve read, I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple is forced to change some of them. But I want to make three points that people seem to forget.
— Walt Mossberg (@waltmossberg) June 17, 2020
Controversy is back in the Premier League.
It only took 41 minutes 🤣 pic.twitter.com/GcxGkVGxzt
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 17, 2020
Try using controversy!
Which of the following words is LEAST likely to be used to describe a controversy?
A. intense
B. political
C. contentious
D. agreeable
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