MEANING
To challenge or deny a statement, claim, or argument.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- controvert a claim
- controvert the evidence
On the page
The response controverts the central claim without addressing its evidence.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- controvert
- Past tense
- controverted
- Past participle
- controverted
- Present participle
- controverting
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- controvert
- Present continuous
- am/is/are controverting
- Present perfect
- have/has controverted
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been controverting
- Past
- controverted
- Past continuous
- was/were controverting
- Past perfect
- had controverted
- Past perfect continuous
- had been controverting
- Future
- will controvert
- Future continuous
- will be controverting
- Future perfect
- will have controverted
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been controverting
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: controvert; controverts; controverted; controverted; controverting Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: analysis, qualification. Commonness: uncommon. Third-person singular: controverts.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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