controversial
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
causing a lot of public disagreement or argument.
arousing or likely to arouse controversy; characterising a subject that polarises public opinion.
Simple“The government's new tax plan is very controversial and has led to many protests.”
In context“The director's decision to cast a relatively unknown actor in such a controversial role sparked intense debate among film critics and fans alike.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
describes a person who likes to argue or start disagreements.
given to or enjoying controversy; argumentative or disputatious in nature.
Simple“He was a controversial writer who seemed to enjoy upsetting his readers.”
In context“The professor was known for his controversial style, often taking the opposite view just to challenge his students' assumptions.”
UsageWhen applied to a person, it can describe their temperament rather than just the reaction to their work.
SynonymsAntonyms
“Whether children so young can recall traumatic events is highly controversial.”
“She described the controversial VIP lane, which prioritised PPE offers from those with political connections, as a misguided policy that should not be repeated.”
From Latin contrōversiālis, from contrōversia + -ālis. By surface analysis, controversy + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.