controversial

/kɒn.tɹə.ˈvɜː.sjəl/

meaning in plain English

Something people argue about a lot because they strongly disagree on it.

Picture a heated debate: a firecracker named controversial that sparks arguments wherever it lands.

for example

The new law on school uniforms became controversial after parents and teachers started fighting over it.

Remember that one topic at family dinners that turns Grandma’s smile into a frown and Uncle Dave into a rant about ‘how things used to be’? That’s controversial—where even the word itself sparks louder voices and sharper elbows because nobody can agree on what’s right.