controversial

controversial — adjective

1. Something that is controversial causes people to have strong and often opposite

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

Something that is controversial causes people to have strong and often opposite opinions about it, making them discuss or argue about it.

Example

Feng's proposal to cut the school's art budget proved highly controversial among teachers.

controversial + among [group]

The government's new immigration law remains one of the most controversial policies of the decade.

one of the most controversial [noun] + of [time]

Common collocations
  • highly controversial
  • deeply controversial
  • politically controversial
  • controversial issue
  • controversial topic
  • controversial decision
  • controversial policy
  • controversial figure
  • controversial subject
Synonyms
  • contentious

    More directly linked to active argument or conflict; can describe both topics and argumentative people.

  • debatable

    Weaker — suggests something is open to question without necessarily sparking strong emotion.

  • divisive

    Emphasises the effect of creating sharp disagreement between groups of people.

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be + controversial

find/consider + noun + controversial

controversial + noun

Usage Note

Typically used to describe topics, decisions, policies, figures, or actions that spark strong public disagreement. It is less commonly applied to a person's argumentative character — for that meaning, 'contentious' or 'disputatious' is more appropriate.

Common Mistakes

The topic is controversial about the new law.
The topic of the new law is controversial.
'controversial' is not followed directly by 'about'; use 'of' to link the topic and its subject.
My uncle is a very controversial person — he loves to argue with everyone.
My uncle is a very contentious person
he loves to argue with everyone.' — 'controversial' describes things that cause debate among others, not a person who enjoys arguing.

Word family

  • controversy
    nounB2
  • controversially
    adverbC1
  • uncontroversial
    adjectiveC1
  • controversialist
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

While all four words relate to disagreement, they differ in intensity and focus. 'Controversial' is the broadest term, describing anything that sparks strong, divided opinions. 'Contentious' implies a more actively quarrelsome quality — a contentious person is argumentative by nature, whereas a controversial topic may simply attract debate. 'Divisive' focuses on the outcome: it creates sharp splits between groups, as in 'a divisive election campaign'. 'Debatable' is the weakest, meaning open to question without necessarily provoking strong emotion ('a debatable point in the argument'). 'Polemical' is more academic, describing an aggressive argumentative style ('a polemical essay attacking the government'). For everyday use: a policy is 'controversial'; a person who picks fights is 'contentious'; an issue that splits a community is 'divisive'.

contentiousdebatabledivisivepolemical

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • matter of controversy
  • subject of controversy
  • spark controversy

Etymology

LatinEnglish

From Latin 'controversus' (contra- 'against' + versus 'turned'), meaning 'turned against' or 'disputed'. The Latin noun 'controversia' ('dispute, quarrel') passed into English as 'controversy' in the 14th century. The adjective 'controversial' emerged in the late 16th century, originally meaning 'relating to a controversy' and later developing the sense 'likely to cause controversy'.