How to Use controversial in a Sentence

controversial

adjective
Definition of controversialnext
Synonyms for controversialnext
  • He is a controversial author.
  • Abortion is a highly controversial subject.
  • The Rams won 58-57 there the year before on a controversial non-call at the buzzer.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2024
  • In the end, the controversial plan for a highway along the railroad tracks and through Takoma Park was scrapped.
    — John Kelly, Washington Post, 12 July 2023
  • When one of the hosts joked the revelation might be controversial, the group joke that the Shrek alum shouldn’t have shared it.
    — Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 19 Dec. 2023
  • At the time, the figure-hugging look proved to be quite controversial.
    — André-Naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 16 June 2023
  • This week Richie Grainge was seen having lunch with friends in Beverly Hills, sporting one of the most controversial footwear styles of the year: the naked shoe.
    — Alex Kessler, Glamour, 2 Aug. 2023
  • Among these trends that excite and provoke, the return of fur stands as perhaps the most controversial.
    — Shelcy Joseph, Essence, 19 Mar. 2024
  • And with any controversial song, for better or worse, people are going to tune in.
    — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2023
  • The controversial creator began on Vine with his brother, Jake, and moved to YouTube, then a podcast.
    — Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2023
  • Death tolls were high, and the U.S.'s involvement in the conflict remains controversial.
    — Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023
  • But the subject matter has meant the film was always highly controversial in Japan.
    — Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Dec. 2023
  • Others, however, seemed to be here for the controversial item.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 15 Nov. 2023
  • There was a time when carrying a small bag could have been considered controversial for a man.
    — Alex Kessler, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2023
  • Were the movies going to employ the same controversial conclusion?
    — Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 20 Oct. 2023
  • The vote came less than a week after the use of the controversial chemical herbicide glyphosate in the 27-nation bloc was extended for 10 more years.
    — Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 23 Nov. 2023
  • But by then, L.A.’s controversial new mansion tax and high interest rates had already put a big damper on the market.
    — James McClain, Robb Report, 5 Jan. 2024
  • Although this method is controversial, the unglazed, gritty circle of ceramic on the bottom of mugs can sharpen a knife in the same way a whetstone would.
    — Christina Manian, Rdn, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2023
  • The subreddits are protesting the company’s controversial plan to charge for access to the Reddit API.
    — Michael Kan, PCMAG, 16 June 2023
  • But the result looked to be a Hawkeyes victory late in the game until referees called back a controversial punt return.
    — Scott Thompson, Fox News, 22 Oct. 2023
  • Aldean has also made headlines in recent months, but his was at least about his music, though not any less controversial.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2023
  • The controversial figure can no longer legally practice law in three states, online records show.
    — Jolene Almendarez, The Enquirer, 15 Mar. 2024
  • There was a time when Martha’s mere existence was controversial.
    — Rachel Sugar, Bon Appétit, 7 Dec. 2023
  • For such a historic and controversial event, the atmosphere through the morning was calm and the numbers relatively few.
    — Tia Humphries, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2023
  • If Willis does allege a multistate racketeering scheme with Trump at its center, the case could test the bounds of the controversial law and make history in the process.
    — Amy Gardner and Josh Dawsey, BostonGlobe.com, 2 June 2023
  • The passage of the bill follows a controversial national debate about the pros and cons of allowing easier access to the drug.
    — Nadine Schmidt, CNN, 23 Feb. 2024
  • But this is a familiar position for Mohyeldin: He was pulled from the region back in 2014, in what was also seen as a controversial move.
    — Hafiz Rashid, The New Republic, 18 Oct. 2023
  • And then there are those, like me, who entered the controversial world of giving up shampooing their hair completely.
    — Francesca Mill, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2024
  • Find out what happened to the key players following the controversial verdict that ended one of the most explosive events of the 20th century.
    — Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
  • For a cargo plane, the Venezuelan Boeing 747 has sure had a controversial history.
    — Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'controversial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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