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Showing results for polemic.
Definitions

polemic

[puh-lem-ik, poh-] / pəˈlɛm ɪk, poʊ- /
ADJECTIVE
argumentative
Synonyms
STRONG
belligerent contrary eristic
WEAK
combative contentious controversial disputatious factious fire-eating having a chip on one's shoulder litigious opinionated polemical pugnacious quarrelsome salty scrappy spiky touchy
NOUN
argument
Synonyms
STRONGEST
spat
STRONG
altercation beef bicker bickering blowup bone brawl brush clash contention controversy crusher debate difficulty disagreement dispute dustup exchange face-off feud fight finisher flap fuss gin go hassle knockdown out quarrel rhubarb romp row ruckus ruction rumpus run-in scene scrap set-to shindy squabble static stew tiff word words wrangle
WEAK
bone of contention bone to pick brannigan difference of opinion donnybrook falling-out knock-down-drag-out
Antonyms
STRONG
agreement calm ease friendship harmony peace

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But this is a work of history, not a polemic.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2025

The term Britpop was coined by journalist Stuart Maconie in a long polemic about the state of guitar music in the April 1993 issue of Select magazine.

From BBC • Jul. 15, 2023

What Rufo is talking about is a classic bait-and-switch — cutting and pasting a polemic from one place into another for a strategic advantage.

From Salon • May 30, 2023

But it’s not a polemic about Black struggle.

From New York Times • Mar. 16, 2023

I was heart-sick at the prospect that he might want to re-edit the entire book into a polemic against Elijah Muhammad.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Vocabulary lists containing polemic

The Vocabulary.com Top 1000

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Long Walk to Freedom

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The New Jim Crow

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