ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsCcontroversial
ISEE/SSATeasy
controversial
Meaning: likely to cause disagreement or strong opinions
controversial in a sentence
How controversial is used in real sentences:
The new dress code policy became controversial among students almost immediately.
The city council meeting grew tense after residents debated a controversial plan to close the only public pool in town.
“At Brookside Middle School, a controversial rumor split the sixth grade into angry camps.”
— from the passage The Blue Moth Story
Synonyms for controversial
Other words for controversial — contentious, disputed and divisive — carry the same meaning.
- contentious
- disputed
- divisive
Antonyms of controversial
Words that mean the opposite of controversial:
- uncontested
Where it comes from
From Latin controversia 'a turning against'
Word parts
- vert/vers — turn
controversial: contro- (against) + vers (turn) + -ial (relating to)
Memory hook
CONTROVERSY + -AL — an issue that turns people against each other.
Practice controversial in the app