as in to argue
to express different opinions about something often angrily
ever since the poem was first published, critics and scholars have controverted over the meaning of its concluding lines
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Recent Examples of controvert
Those then who controvert the principle that the constitution is to be considered, in court, as a paramount law, are reduced to the necessity of maintaining that courts must close their eyes on the constitution, and see only the law.
—
Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 29 July 2025
Many of those people had been convicted of assaulting police officers, prompting a backlash from Democrats — and even some Republicans — who said Trump’s move controverted Republican claims of being the party that champions law and order and personal responsibility.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 23 Jan. 2025
Even assuming this is true (and this description will be controverted at trial), a monopoly by itself does not violate the antitrust laws.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
The appellate court noted that the woman’s testimony was controverted.
—Virginia Hammerle, Dallas News, 16 May 2023
During the upcoming weeks and through the appeal a slew of additional credible and controverting evidence will come to light.
—Ben Shpigel, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2017
Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 29 July 2025
Many of those people had been convicted of assaulting police officers, prompting a backlash from Democrats — and even some Republicans — who said Trump’s move controverted Republican claims of being the party that champions law and order and personal responsibility.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 23 Jan. 2025
Even assuming this is true (and this description will be controverted at trial), a monopoly by itself does not violate the antitrust laws.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
The appellate court noted that the woman’s testimony was controverted.
—Virginia Hammerle, Dallas News, 16 May 2023
During the upcoming weeks and through the appeal a slew of additional credible and controverting evidence will come to light.
—Ben Shpigel, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for controvert
Verb
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Proponents of banning firms such as Blackstone from buying single-family homes, many of whom are on the Left and populist Right, argue that those investors are crowding out the market for homebuyers.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
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Why pigeons can outperform drones in some missions The startup argued that pigeons offer practical advantages over conventional drones in specific environments.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The choice not to pick a team has left fans bickering with each other.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
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The pair also bicker a bit as Aniston pauses mid-styling session to tame her own ‘do.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The three bills also are not the first headline-grabbing action from Schroer, who serves as chair of the Senate’s hard-right Freedom Caucus, which frequently quarrels with GOP leadership.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
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Her father, after quarreling with Antigone’s mother, locked her out of their house overnight, which led to a terrible accident.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For some people, dogs are a way to feel loved, to relieve pressures to have kids, to fight the drudgery of their job, to reduce the stress of the rat race and to connect with the outdoors.—
Margret Grebowicz,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
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Ask a Native person why Native people have volunteered to fight in the US’s wars overseas, including in Korea, my homeland, and Vietnam, the most recent nation of origin of many of my refugee friends.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Controvert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/controvert. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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