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Definition/Meaning

(adjective)

causing or likely to cause argument or disagreement (controversy);

e.g. The dean of the university made some controversial remarks on the news story.

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Similar Words

Argumentative

Contentious

Disputatious

Fractious

Hot button

Polemic

Quarrelsome

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Opposite Words

Absolute

Accomplished

Acquiescent

Affable

Agreeable

Amenable

Amiable

Amicable

Benevolent

Clear

Complaisant

Compliant

Conciliatory

Conclusive

Cooperative

Cordial

Deciding

Decisive

Definitive

Docile

Easygoing

Friendly

Good-natured

Good-tempered

Gracious

Inarguable

Incontestable

Incontrovertible

Indisputable

Indubitable

Ingratiating

Irrefragable

Irrefutable

Last

Noncontroversial

Obedient

Obliging

Pacific

Peaceable

Peaceful

Pleasant

Safe

Sociable

Submissive

Tractable

Unanswerable

Unarguable

Unchallengeable

Unchallenged

Uncontested

Uncontradicted

Undeniable

Undisputable

Undisputed

Unquestionable

Unquestioned

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Related Words

Acidic

Aggressive

Arguable

Balky

Bearish

Bellicose

Belligerent

Bilious

Cantankerous

Captious

Choleric

Combative

Contrary

Crabby

Cranky

Cross

Debatable

Delicate

Difficult

Disagreeable

Disobedient

Doubtful

Feisty

Fighting

Fractious

Fretful

Froward

Grouchy

Grumpy

Hardheaded

Headstrong

Huffy

Ill-humored

Ill-natured

Ill-tempered

Insubordinate

Intractable

Irascible

Irritable

Issuable

Knotty

Militant

Moot

Mulish

Negotiable

Obdurate

Obstinate

Ornery

Peevish

Perverse

Petulant

Pigheaded

Problematic

Pugnacious

Querulous

Questionable

Recalcitrant

Refractory

Resistant

Restive

Rude

Self-willed

Snappish

Snappy

Spiny

Splenetic

Stubborn

Surly

Testy

Thorny

Ticklish

Touchy

Tough

Truculent

Unbending

Uncompromising

Uncooperative

Unreasonable

Unyielding

Warlike

Waspish

Wayward

Willful

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Phrases

• a hot potato

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Comments

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