contentious issue
/kənˈtɛnʃəs ˈɪʃuː/An issue that provokes strong disagreement or debate.
Climate change has become a highly contentious issue worldwide.
Climate change has become a highly controversial topic worldwide.
Often used in news, academic, and political discussions to describe topics that split public opinion.
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💡Pro Tip
Preposition choice
Pair the phrase with ‘on’ or ‘about’ depending on the surrounding clause: ‘a contentious issue on immigration’ or ‘a contentious issue about immigration’.
📖Word Origin
From Latin contentiosus ‘disputatious’, from contentio ‘dispute’, and Latin issue ‘a coming out, a matter’, from exire ‘to go out’. The phrase combines the adjective ‘contentious’ with the noun ‘issue’ to denote a disputed matter.
📝Usage Notes
Used for topics that divide opinion; typically appears in formal or semi‑formal contexts such as news articles, academic papers, and policy debates.