Synonyms of disputed

disputed 1 of 2

adjective

as in controversial

Related Words

• controversial
• debated
• inconclusive
• uncertain
• problematic
• disputable
• debatable
• refutable
• arguable
• moot
• speculative
• shaky
• contradictable
• questionable
• iffy
• dubious
• hypothetical
• ambiguous
• negotiable
• indecisive
• theoretical
• doubtful
• controvertible
• issuable
• academic
• doubtable
• equivocal

Dissimilar Words

• certain
• indisputable
• settled
• incontestable
• positive
• sure
• incontrovertible
• unquestionable
• undeniable
• unanswerable
• indubitable
• accomplished
• irrefragable
• unchallengeable
• unarguable
• irrefutable
• definite
• undebatable
• inarguable
• unequivocal
• conclusive
• questionless
• unambiguous
• decisive
• clear
• undisputed
• hands-down
• uncontested
• absolute

disputed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of dispute

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• questioned
• challenged
• contested
• doubted
• queried
• protested
• impeached
• called in question
• oppugned
• opposed
• kicked (about)
• mistrusted
• resisted
• fought
• objected (to)
• combated

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• believed
• accepted
• embraced
• defended
• swallowed
• supported
• backed
• advocated
• promoted
• championed
• tolerated
• endured
• abided
• stomached

2

as in bickered

to express different opinions about something often angrily

hometown fans disputing with visiting fans over which had the better team

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bickered
• argued
• fought
• quarreled
• clashed
• controverted
• debated
• squabbled
• quibbled
• brawled
• wrangled
• contested
• scrapped
• rowed
• discussed
• fell out
• locked horns
• jarred
• hassled
• butted heads
• altercated
• argufied
• tiffed
• mixed it up
• contended
• spatted
• brabbled
• challenged
• bandied words
• protested
• dared
• objected
• tangled
• defied
• nitpicked
• fussed
• considered
• kicked
• caviled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• agreed
• accepted
• concurred
• consented
• coexisted
• got along
• assented

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• debated
• discussed
• argued
• reviewed
• canvassed
• mooted
• agitated
• bandied
• talked over
• raised
• considered
• spoke (about)
• hashed (over or out)
• batted (around or back and forth)
• propounded
• talked (about)
• introduced
• weighed
• broached
• stirred up
• forged
• thrashed (out)
• hammered out
• deliberated
• wrestled (with)
• talked out
• chewed over

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of disputed

Adjective

The protests follow a disputed election and government crackdown that drove Machado and other opposition leaders into hiding. — Clyburn Saint John, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

In one of the latest incidents, the Philippine military in July accused China's coast guard of injuring a Filipino sailor at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. — ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026

Completion targets remain disputed Project chief engineer Xi Jihong said the railway could be ready for operations by June 2031. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026

Seven more calls were successfully challenged before the final out, with only two of the eight disputed pitches initially ruled strikes. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026

The enlistment card said Weber was from Alsace-Lorraine, a disputed area between France and Germany, which may explain the two spellings of his surname. — Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Ask whether the methodology is published in enough detail to reproduce, and who arbitrates a disputed grade. — Janakiram Msv, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026

The investigation began nearly two months after Sessions supplemented his disputed testimony and was initially based on a letter from two Democratic senators. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 10 Aug. 2026

The British military maritime operations center said a tanker was attacked Tuesday in the disputed area. — Jane Arraf, NPR, 22 July 2026

Verb

The agency has previously disputed suggestions that politics plays a role in its decisions. — Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026

Initial media reports suggested a lab worker at Irkutsk Antiplague Research Institute died of the plague, but Russian officials later disputed this, saying the worker died of pneumonia and that the illness was not linked to work in the lab. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

While two people with knowledge of the matter told Semafor that career FTC staff learned from the press — not agency leadership — about the AI investigation, the senior official disputed that. — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026

Cave's family has disputed the police account of events, saying Cave was recently released from a hospital and was mentally ill. — Joe Brandt, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Bottoms accused him of calling for the Guard to be deployed during the election, something Jackson disputed. — AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026

OpenAI disputed the findings, saying the testing may have preceded full activation of parental controls; the report also said the safeguards failed requirements of California’s Adam’s Law. — Ella Chakarian, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

However, Sullivan disputed the idea that the presence of mental illness prevents criminal responsibility. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026

Avila’s lawyer, Nancy Doumanian, previously disputed the judge’s tentative finding that there was insufficient evidence Avila had suffered permanent nerve damage. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026