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 it’s not a polemic about Black struggle.

From New York Times

The BBC's Mexico correspondent, Will Grant, says it is perhaps the most polemic political issue in Mexico at present.

From BBC

Anti-colonial polemic enlivens prose about his quest for a place his fluid self might move within rigid lines of identity.

From Washington Post

During the January school board meeting, Ms. Stern compared the polemic to the riot that month at the U.S.

From New York Times

It helped us ground our histories, freeing them from being just polemics,” he said.

From New York Times