con·tro·ver·sial
ˌkän-trə-ˈvər-shəl
-ˈvər-sē-əl
1
: of, relating to, or arousing controversy
a controversial policy
a controversial film
2
: given to controversy : disputatious
a controversial temperament
The controversial biologist caused a ferment among his colleagues.
controversially
adverb
con·tro·ver·sial·ist
¦kän-trə-¦vər-shə-list
-¦vər-sē-ə-
plural -s
: one who engages in controversy : disputant
in his novels the controversialist often takes precedence of the artist—B. R. Redman
Cite this Entry
“Controversial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/controversial. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.
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