DISPUTE Synonyms: 159 Similar and Opposite Words

dispute 1 of 2

noun

di-ˈspyüt

Definition of dispute

as in controversy

variance of opinion on a matter a dispute over the proper pronunciation of "nuclear"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in quarrel

an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions after much dispute, the school committee decided that all backpacks would have to be stored in lockers during class hours

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dispute

2 of 2

verb

di-ˈspyüt

as in to question

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to bicker

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

as in to debate

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 dispute

Noun

The dispute led to a fight breaking out, during which police allege 47-year-old Victor Rivera Hartford stabbed Tellado. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026 Most rental suppliers require one for the security deposit, and credit card companies offer dispute resolution protections that apply regardless of how a booking was made. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Verb

The area around Cucuta has long been disputed by drug gangs and rebel groups who are fighting over smuggling routes leading into Venezuela. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 Mundubile disputes the account, saying his aides were unarmed. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dispute

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispute

Noun

After many decades of organizing, speaking, writing, agitating — and weathering the constant controversy that courted — Steinem kept going.

— Adam Carlson, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
George Lucas, for his part, has suggested that bringing the Lucas Museum to fruition—a project beset by delays and controversy that has taken nearly a decade to realize—was a herculean effort.

— Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of controversy

Noun

Look, says everyone, at the movement of the heavens, look at the public, look at that man’s quarrel, at this man’s pulse, at another man’s will; in short, always look high or low, or to one side, or in front, or behind you.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026
The Department of Defense’s quarrel with Anthropic began earlier this year after the company refused to remove internal safety guardrails that would prevent the military from using its Claude AI model in autonomous weapons and mass surveillance.

— Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of quarrel

Verb

Critics also questioned whether UCLA’s athletic department had adapted quickly enough to the NIL era.

— Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
At Liberty High School in Frisco, Texas, Muslim students had used a spare classroom to pray without incident from 2009 to 2017, when Paxton’s office sent the district a letter questioning whether other students were being excluded.

— Asma Uddin, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of question

Verb

Kimmel and Damon then bicker over who has a rightful paternal claim to the child, culminating in a pitch-perfect spoof of Maury featuring Short as Povich.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 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 bicker

Verb

In their discussions, economists and policymakers debated the regulatory challenges in a world where tokenization is revolutionizing how financial assets are held and transferred.

— Maria Eloisa Capurro, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Researchers have debated for years whether these dendrites begin at the electrolyte’s surface or deeper inside the material.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of debate

Noun

This did not, however, mark the end of disputation concerning the Northwest Angle.

— Scott Spires, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
According to him, advances in machine learning have yanked questions once trapped inside theological/philosophical disputations into corporate board packs.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025

Definition of disputation

Noun

The Honda continues down the street and crashes into a parked car, as Good’s wife, Becca Good, who was recording the altercation, runs after it.

— Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Detectives found that Spencer was involved in an altercation with a man inside the library before the stabbing.

— Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of altercation

Verb

Still, the emotionally stunted John claims not to harbor ill feelings toward Hal, though this is most certainly challenged by the end of the episode.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Porter has staked his claim as the starter opposite Stokes, though rookies McCoy and Masses should continue to challenge him for that role throughout the season.

— Sam Warren, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026