polemical
adjective
po·lem·i·cal
pə-ˈle-mi-kəl 
variants
or less commonly polemic
1
: of, relating to, or being a polemic : controversial
2
: engaged in or addicted to polemics : disputatious
Synonyms
Examples of polemical in a Sentence
during the Middle Ages even theologians could be surprisingly polemical in their writings
an unnecessarily polemical look at the supposed incompatibility between science and religion
Recent Examples on the Web
When pluralism implies of ideas, of ideologies, of parties, sometimes inimical to each other, sometimes polemical, sometimes in the attempt to make compromises in order to rule a country.
—
Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2016
The motion picture industry first moved aggressively into polemical territory during the prewar interregnum from 1939 to 1941, when Europe was at war but America wasn’t.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024
After all, novels that exaggerate our social and political ills in some horrific future are the most polemical works of fiction.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 16 July 2024
Blowups at literary journals are not the most pressing news of the day, but the incident at Guernica reveals the extent to which elite American literary outlets may now be beholden to the narrowest polemical and moralistic approaches to literature.
—Phil Klay, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for polemical 
Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2016
The motion picture industry first moved aggressively into polemical territory during the prewar interregnum from 1939 to 1941, when Europe was at war but America wasn’t.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024
After all, novels that exaggerate our social and political ills in some horrific future are the most polemical works of fiction.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 16 July 2024
Blowups at literary journals are not the most pressing news of the day, but the incident at Guernica reveals the extent to which elite American literary outlets may now be beholden to the narrowest polemical and moralistic approaches to literature.
—Phil Klay, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for polemical
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polemical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near polemical
Cite this Entry
“Polemical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polemical. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
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