# disputed

/dɪˈspjutəd/ (US) · /dɪspjˈuːtɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/disputed
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. argued or uncertain

adjective · CEFR B2

describes a fact, idea, or claim that people do not agree on.

For teachers: describes a statement, finding, or claim whose accuracy or validity is being challenged or debated.

- The cause of the accident is still disputed by the two drivers.
- The historian presented new evidence that challenged the long-disputed claims regarding the origin of the manuscript.

### 2. territory claimed by others

adjective · CEFR B2

describes an area of land that two or more countries claim as their own.

For teachers: referring to a geographical area or border subject to conflicting claims of sovereignty by different political entities.

- The two countries have been fighting over the disputed border for decades.
- Diplomatic efforts to resolve the status of the disputed islands have stalled due to rising nationalist sentiment in both nations.

## Examples

- The player disputed the referee's decision.
- The company disputed the findings of the environmental report, claiming the data was collected using faulty equipment.
- Historians have long disputed the exact date of the battle, as contemporary accounts offer conflicting timelines that are difficult to reconcile with modern archaeological evidence.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.