controversialist


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con·tro·ver·sial

 (kŏn′trə-vûr′shəl, -sē-əl)
adj.
1. Of, producing, or marked by controversy: a controversial movie; a controversial stand on human rights.
2. Fond of controversy; disputatious.

con′tro·ver′sial·ist n.
con′tro·ver′si·al′i·ty (-shē-ăl′ĭ-tē, -sē-) n.
con′tro·ver′sial·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.controversialist - a person who disputes; who is good at or enjoys controversy
individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do"
contester - someone who contests an outcome (of a race or an election etc.)
accuser - someone who imputes guilt or blame
arguer, debater - someone who engages in debate
denier - one who denies
hairsplitter - a disputant who makes unreasonably fine distinctions
logomach, logomachist - someone given to disputes over words
obstructer, obstructionist, obstructor, resister, thwarter - someone who systematically obstructs some action that others want to take
quarreler, quarreller - a disputant who quarrels
crusader, meliorist, reformer, reformist, social reformer - a disputant who advocates reform
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
References in classic literature ?
The vicar of their pleasant rural parish was not a controversialist, but a good hand at whist, and one who had a joke always ready for a blooming female parishioner.
In 1526 William Tyndale, a zealous Protestant controversialist then in exile in Germany, published an excellent English translation of the New Testament.
Ilbrahim, it is true, was not a skilful controversialist; but the feeling of his religion was strong as instinct in him, and he could neither be enticed nor driven from the faith which his father had died for.
This was especially the case in churches and ecclesiastical structures generally, in which the gargoyles presented a perfect rogues' gallery of local heretics and controversialists. Sometimes when a new dean and chapter were installed the old gargoyles were removed and others substituted having a closer relation to the private animosities of the new incumbents.
The existence of ghouls has been disputed by that class of controversialists who are more concerned to deprive the world of comforting beliefs than to give it anything good in their place.
Angel, in fact, rightly or wrongly (to adopt the safe phrase of evasive controversialists), preferred sermons in stones to sermons in churches and chapels on fine summer days.
They are like two controversialists hurling words at one another.
Chesterton set the whole world laughing with a series of alleged non-partisan essays on the subject, and the whole affair, controversy and controversialists, was well-nigh swept into the pit by a thundering broadside from George Bernard Shaw.
She was a born controversialist and I think it was because her childhood was a wreck.
He is formidably intelligent and articulate, but critics describe him as a recreational controversialist: like many former Oxford Union hacks, he enjoys the cut-and-thrust of argument, but can persuade himself into rather extreme and unworkable positions, almost for fun.
EARLIER this week, viewers of ITV's Good Morning Britain were treated to the deeply unedifying sight of resident controversialist presenter Piers Morgan chewing Greggs the baker's new vegan sausage roll before emptying the unswallowed specimen into a conveniently placed bin.
Earlier this week, viewers of ITV's Good Morning Britain were treated to the deeply unedifying sight of resident controversialist presenterPiers Morganchewing Greggs the baker's new vegan sausage roll before emptying the unswallowed specimen into a conveniently placed bin.