1
general::
controversy
adjectives
political/religious controversy
• The agreement attracted a lot of political controversy.
public controversy
(= among the ordinary people of a country )
• His book sparked off a public controversy about the issue.
great/major controversy
• That decision was the second major controversy of the Prime Minister's career.
fierce controversy
(= very great )
• This question has been at the centre of a fierce controversy.
bitter controversy
(= involving very angry feelings )
• The strike was called off, amid bitter controversy.
a lot of controversy
• There's been a lot of controversy about the term 'victim'.
verbs
cause controversy
• His speech caused great controversy.
arouse/provoke/excite controversy
(= cause it )
• Locke aroused considerable controversy with his suggestion.
spark (off) controversy
(= cause it )
• The new rules are likely to spark more controversy.
fuel controversy
(= add to it )
• England's manager fuelled controversy with his criticism of the referee.
be embroiled in a controversy
(= be involved in one )
• A film company became embroiled in a controversy over the title of one of its movies.
be surrounded by controversy
• The circumstances of her death were surrounded by controversy.
avoid controversy
• So far, the scheme has avoided controversy.
controversy surrounds something
• the controversy surrounding modern farming methods
controversy arises
• Some controversy arose over the safety of the vaccination.
phrases
a matter/subject of controversy
• The right age to vote is a matter of controversy.
a storm of controversy
• Since its release, the film has met a storm of controversy.
the centre of a controversy
• The idea became the centre of a bitter controversy.
transnet.ir
2
general::
noun ADJ. considerable, great, major | bitter, fierce, raging, violent | lively His views have excited a lively controversy among fellow scientists. | fresh, further, new, renewed | continued, continuing, long-standing, prolonged | public | political | religious, theological | academic, critical, scholarly VERB + CONTROVERSY arouse, cause, create, excite, fuel, give rise to, provoke, spark (off), stir up What they are doing is bound to stir up controversy. | be dogged by, be marked by, be riven by, be surrounded by This year's championships have been dogged by controversy. | avoid The prime minister seemed anxious to avoid controversy about these appointments. | run into The network ran into controversy over claims of faked documentary footage. | be no stranger to The MP, who is no stranger to controversy herself, said the scandal could have serious repercussions. | court The singer deliberately courts controversy with his racist and sexist lyrics. CONTROVERSY + VERB arise, break out A fierce controversy has broken out over the issue. | rage Controversy is raging over the route of the new motorway. | exist Controversy exists as to how safe these drugs are. | centre on sth The controversy centred on the issue of compensation for the victims. | surround sth Much controversy surrounds the new exam. PREP. amid ~ The minister has resigned amid continuing controversy over his education proposals. | ~ about/concerning/over There has been a lot of controversy over the use of these drugs. | ~ among controversy among historians | ~ between controversy between the two leaders | ~ surrounding the bitter controversy surrounding the introduction of the new regulations | ~ with her long-running controversy with fellow academics PHRASES a matter/source/subject of controversy, a storm of controversy The book raised a storm of controversy.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary