controvert Hear it!

controvert Definition

con·tro·vert (kän′trə vʉrt′, kän′trə vʉrt′)

transitive verb

  1. to argue or reason against; contradict; deny; dispute
  2. to argue about; debate; discuss

Etymology: back-form. < controversy, modeled on words ending in -vert (e.g., divert, revert)

Related Forms:

controvert Synonyms

controvert

v.

  1. To argue against

    counter, contradict, refute; see confute, deny, disprove, oppose 1.

  2. To argue about

    argue, debate, dispute, contest; see debate, discuss. See syn. study at disprove.

controvert Usage Examples

Object

  • point: I doubt not you'll prove the withdrawing they will never controvert that point nor any chance.
  • statement: When the plaintiff had declared his grievance and the defendant had denied or otherwise controverted the statement, the question of proof arose.
  • subject: These statements, as already remarked, make up a controverted subject.
  • issue: Agnostics and atheists will welcome the sensitivity with which controverted issues of belief are surveyed at the bar of reason.

Modifying Another Word

  • much: There was the entail, again, which was much controverted.