DISPUTES Synonyms: 163 Similar and Opposite Words

disputes 1 of 2

noun

plural of dispute

as in controversies

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

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as in disagreements

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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disputes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of dispute

as in challenges

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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as in bickers

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

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as in debates

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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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 disputes

Noun

Earlier this week, a Times report revealed Zhang had previously been charged with child abuse for leaving her oldest daughter in a hot car for hours, while Xuan was accused in a civil lawsuit of using violence in landlord-tenant disputes. — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 That provision could reignite disputes over whether Washington should establish a national standard or preserve stronger state protections. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026 Attorneys who specialize in the field are anticipating disputes over the contractual framework in the future. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026 Prosecutors and lawyers for Alex Murdaugh are scheduled to return to court in South Carolina on Friday amid escalating disputes over evidence for his retrial next year on murder charges. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 Then, Congress established the Presidential Records Act following disputes with Richard Nixon. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026 Secure your accounts, report suspicious activity promptly and follow through on unresolved disputes. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 The three fell out over disputes about the charter school’s management. — Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026 Koneschusky said el Sayed would be better served by keeping the focus on affordability and other economic concerns that cut across party lines rather than getting drawn into polarizing disputes. — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026

Verb

However, Ryadi's attorney, Eric Rosenfeld, disputes the government's characterization of her immigration status. — Josh Sanders, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 As Tripp Lite grew, Seid wrote checks to the Republican National Committee, ProPublica reported, and a longtime adviser described him as the Heartland Institute’s major patron, a Chicago-area think tank that disputes mainstream climate science. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026 The company disputes that 27 odor complaints since 2024 and 67 videos of work being done outside permitted hours referenced in a city staff report represent actual violations of the city’s noise, odor and operating hour rules. — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026 ShinyHunters disputes portions of the FBI's description of its activities. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 The Israeli military disputes the film’s account, and it is entitled to do so. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026 But Kalkanis disputes the claim that Maldonado’s actions rise to the level of official misconduct due to a lack of state legislative clarity regarding Flock misuse. — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026 Morgan also disputes Spencer’s recollection of their phone call. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2026 Hedgepeth also disputes the board’s interpretation of the lighting restriction. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for disputes

Noun

Bob Beatty, a Washburn political science professor, said that bringing in an outside consultant at this stage could help Marshall push back against several controversies that have hampered his campaign.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
The First Proof team has received many requests to test open-weight models from mathematicians concerned about privacy after recent high-profile controversies.

— Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of controversies

Verb

An annual competition called BabyLM challenges researchers to train models on a child’s diet of words.

— Charles Yeomans, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
The team had to balance weight and waterproofing as well as figure out successful take off and landing in water, which reflects light and challenges the sensors used in most consumer drones to gauge distance from the ground.

— Max Cea, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of challenges

Verb

But on Monday, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan likened many of the investors drawn to the AI boom to gamblers and questioned the economics of AI labs as Wall Street debates whether the AI bubble will burst.

— Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Co-star Tom Blyth will surely hold his own in Michael Arden’s production of a play that debates whether the rule of law in a democracy can fully protect us from a dangerous world.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of debates

Noun

This contestation takes place through philosophical debates, religious disputations, and public discussions, whether direct or indirect, open or clandestine.

— Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 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 disputations

Noun

The overtones of social significance are adroitly handled and make real sense in an era of tragic international quarrels.

— THR Staff, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
Unlike Christian priests and medicine men, who generally command respect, rainmakers are sometimes seen as malicious people who retaliate against whole communities for quarrels with their neighbors.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of quarrels

Verb

Adawag's defense attorney questions federal crackdown Adawag's attorney, Megan McLoughlin, said the case was unusual in her experience.

— Steve Large, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
It’s built through the steady work of listening to stakeholders, delivering on promises and telling a consistent story long before anyone questions it.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of questions

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disputes

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Style

“Disputes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disputes. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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