DictionaryAI

dispute

USDIS-pyoot/ˈdɪs.pjut/UKdis-PYOOT/dɪsˈpjuːt/
As a verbdis-PYOOT

Pluraldisputes

Verbdisputes, disputing, disputed

7 meanings of dispute

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A serious disagreement between people who cannot agree on something.

    Like a tug-of-war where both sides pull and neither one lets go.

    The kids had a dispute about whose turn it was.

    A dispute over money split the two friends apart.

    Similardisagreement, argument, quarrel, conflict, feud

    Oppositeagreement, accord

    Note
  2. 2
    verbtransitive
    To argue against something or say that it is not true.

    I dispute that claim completely.

    She disputed the charge on her credit card bill.

    Similarchallenge, contest, question, deny, contradict

    Oppositeaccept, concede, acknowledge, admit

    Note
  3. 3
    verbintransitive
    To argue against what another person says or believes.

    They dispute endlessly about politics.

    The brothers disputed over their father's will.

    Similarargue, debate, wrangle, quarrel, bicker

    Oppositeagree, concur

    Note
  4. 4
    verbtransitive
    To compete or fight in order to win or control something.

    Two players dispute the last spot on the team.

    The teams disputed the championship all season.

    Similarcontest, fight

    Oppositeconcede, yield, cede, relinquish

    Note
  5. 5
    verbtransitive
    To discuss something by arguing both sides of it.

    The class disputed the topic for an hour.

    Thinkers dispute big questions about right and wrong.

    Similardebate, discuss, argue

  6. 6
    noununcountable
    Talk and arguing between people who do not agree.

    The plan caused a lot of dispute among the staff.

    There was open dispute about who should lead the group.

    Similardebate, controversy, argument, contention, question

    Oppositeagreement, consensus

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 7
    verbobsolete
    To fight back against something or try to resist it.
    Dispute it [grief] like a man.
    c. 1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”Here, dispute means to fight against or resist, so he should resist his grief.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin disputare 'to discuss or examine', made from dis- 'apart' and putare 'to reckon or think'. It came into English through Old French.