as in controversial
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1
as in questioned
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
a whole slew of relatives eager to dispute his claim to being the sole heir
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bickered
to express different opinions about something often angrily
hometown fans disputing with visiting fans over which had the better team
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in debated
to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion
in an extended session the city council disputed the need for a new high school
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Recent Examples of disputed
Mathew Schmalz, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
After Thompson’s testimony, Muscolino called witnesses, which included city workers, who testified against George’s claim to owning the disputed roadway.
—Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026
The disputed ending of the AFCON tournament took another turn yesterday as Morocco was declared champions over Senegal, which was stripped of its title after walking off the pitch during the match.
—Tim Rohan, NBC news, 18 Mar. 2026
One of the most disputed moments of North Carolina history centers on whether a Nazi U-boat attacked a chemical plant near Kure Beach during World War II.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
After the disputed 2009 presidential election, in which an apparent reformist victory was thwarted, the streets became the only outlet for dissent.
—Karl Vick, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
Late Thursday night the Taliban’s military launched attacks on Pakistani positions along some sections of their porous and disputed border that wends 1,600 miles through rugged mountains and desert.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
Unfortunately, after the disputed election of 1876, political support for Black voting rights collapsed, and Republicans withdrew military troops from the South.
—Jeffrey Rosen, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
City Council documents said the disputed portion of the property falls completely outside Willow Park’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Jan. 2026
Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
The council member said that the eviction was a result of deed theft, although state officials have disputed the claim.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
Siavash Ghoreishi, a pediatrician in private practice, and Jila Khorsand, a pathologist with a large medical group, both relinquished their medical licenses shortly after their daughter's death and have disputed Scott's claims.
—Juliet Pennington, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Hepting, who has since retired from her post at the county, disputed Simasko’s depiction of her motivations in a message to ProPublica.
—Anna Clark, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2026
The State's Attorney's Office also disputed claims law enforcement in Illinois has violated the Trust Act, which prohibits state law enforcement from assisting with immigration enforcement.
—Sabrina Franza, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Galipo disputed the state’s findings and said the officers never ordered Garcia to drop the wooden rod or that he would be shot or shocked with a Taser.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
In court filings, the Newton Police Department has disputed the allegations, saying officers responded to multiple calls about roughly 100 spectators at Heartbreak Hill who were impeding the race.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Amazon has previously disputed Bonta's claims.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
There was violence after the disputed 2025 reelection of 92-year-old Cameroonian President Paul Biya, who first came to power in 1982.
—Mathew Schmalz, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
After Thompson’s testimony, Muscolino called witnesses, which included city workers, who testified against George’s claim to owning the disputed roadway.
—Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026
The disputed ending of the AFCON tournament took another turn yesterday as Morocco was declared champions over Senegal, which was stripped of its title after walking off the pitch during the match.
—Tim Rohan, NBC news, 18 Mar. 2026
One of the most disputed moments of North Carolina history centers on whether a Nazi U-boat attacked a chemical plant near Kure Beach during World War II.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
After the disputed 2009 presidential election, in which an apparent reformist victory was thwarted, the streets became the only outlet for dissent.
—Karl Vick, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
Late Thursday night the Taliban’s military launched attacks on Pakistani positions along some sections of their porous and disputed border that wends 1,600 miles through rugged mountains and desert.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
Unfortunately, after the disputed election of 1876, political support for Black voting rights collapsed, and Republicans withdrew military troops from the South.
—Jeffrey Rosen, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
City Council documents said the disputed portion of the property falls completely outside Willow Park’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
Hepburn disputed that characterization, saying the district cut a larger percentage of high-paying jobs.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
The council member said that the eviction was a result of deed theft, although state officials have disputed the claim.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
Siavash Ghoreishi, a pediatrician in private practice, and Jila Khorsand, a pathologist with a large medical group, both relinquished their medical licenses shortly after their daughter's death and have disputed Scott's claims.
—Juliet Pennington, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Hepting, who has since retired from her post at the county, disputed Simasko’s depiction of her motivations in a message to ProPublica.
—Anna Clark, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2026
The State's Attorney's Office also disputed claims law enforcement in Illinois has violated the Trust Act, which prohibits state law enforcement from assisting with immigration enforcement.
—Sabrina Franza, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Galipo disputed the state’s findings and said the officers never ordered Garcia to drop the wooden rod or that he would be shot or shocked with a Taser.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
In court filings, the Newton Police Department has disputed the allegations, saying officers responded to multiple calls about roughly 100 spectators at Heartbreak Hill who were impeding the race.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Amazon has previously disputed Bonta's claims.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disputed
Adjective
-
Gregory Bovino, the controversial head of aggressive enforcement activities in Chicago and Minneapolis, resigned from the agency.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
But let’s set aside the fact for a moment that a sequel might not include some of Jackson’s biggest hits and would instead focus on a controversial moment in the singer’s life that his estate may be unwilling or unable to explore.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Senators from both parties questioned Means about her vaccine stance and nontraditional medical background during a contentious confirmation hearing in February, threatening her path forward.—
Ali Swenson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Amid the protest, which included chants, songs, and a skit where Duke Energy was represented by someone dressed as the devil, Corinne Mack, president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP questioned whether Duke leaders were truly hearing residents’ concerns.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rollins and Breakker bickered over who was responsible for Breakker’s success.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The pair have famously bickered over the past 20 years.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As a freshman, Sammy qualified for and debated in the 2025 NSDA National Tournament in Policy Debate, held in Des Moines, Iowa.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
While city leaders debated how to restructure the system, LAHSA employees said the uncertainty is already taking a toll.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While the latest wars against Iran and Hezbollah were widely supported, the inconclusive outcomes have left many Israelis feeling fatigued and disappointed.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Studies are inconclusive, but some research suggests tart cherry juice might help with managing blood pressure.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jacas specifically highlighted the players’ buy-in and how the staff challenged him physically and mentally during his time in the facility.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Regulators have challenged specific Kalshi markets while allowing others to proceed, leaving the boundaries unsettled.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Both France and Padres manager Craig Stammen argued the call and replays seemed to clearly show the base of the ball was entirely in foul ground.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The trust has said that recognizes the need for a larger meeting space at the White House, but argued that only Congress could authorize it.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At a closed-door conference on April 28, the court and participants discussed the user experience, revealing that several bugs and hurdles remain.—
Kate Nishimura,
Footwear News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Bass’ office and Airbnb didn’t respond when asked whether that was the amount being discussed, but opponents have seized on that figure.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disputed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disputed. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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