1 disputation | Definition of disputation

disputation

noun
dis·​pu·​ta·​tion | \ ˌdi-spyə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce disputation (audio) \

Definition of disputation

1 : the action of disputing : verbal controversy continuous disputation between them ideological disputations
2 : an academic exercise in oral defense of a thesis by formal logic

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Examples of disputation in a Sentence

years of debate and disputation a heated disputation over the true authorship of the poem popularly known as “The Night Before Christmas”

Recent Examples on the Web

Passionate disagreements over small causes are a professional hazard of intellectuals, and the conservative tradition of disputation exacerbates that tendency by staying in the realm of abstraction. Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, "The Right Liberalism," 11 July 2019 The signature Tel Aviv cafés were the Rowal and the Cassit, both staying open until dawn to allow émigré writers to conclude their disputations. Norman Lebrecht, WSJ, "‘A Rich Brew’ Review: A Remarkable Cultural Infusion," 28 June 2018 There’s some disputation with the referee, who says play on. Andrew Keh And James Wagner, New York Times, "Mexico Loses to Sweden. Mexico Advances. Celebrate?," 28 June 2018 Being Jewish is knowing Jewish history in some depth; being Jewish is engaging with the incomparable treasury of disputation that is the Talmud; being Jewish is immersion in the boundless glories of Jewish literature, poetry, philosophy and art. Simon Schama, New York Times, "How to Be a Jew in the Age of Trump?," 26 Mar. 2018 From the outside, the American South of 2017 may seem stuck in a one-note loop of grim historical disputation, with fights over the Confederate flag and monuments interrupted only by meteorological disaster. Richard Fausset, ajc, "Easy pleasures and hard questions in Southern magazines," 10 Sep. 2017 From the outside, the American South of 2017 may seem stuck in a one-note loop of grim historical disputation, with fights over the Confederate flag and monuments interrupted only by meteorological disaster. Richard Fausset, ajc, "Easy pleasures and hard questions in Southern magazines," 10 Sep. 2017 From the outside, the American South of 2017 may seem stuck in a one-note loop of grim historical disputation, with fights over the Confederate flag and monuments interrupted only by meteorological disaster. Richard Fausset, ajc, "Easy pleasures and hard questions in Southern magazines," 10 Sep. 2017 From the outside, the American South of 2017 may seem stuck in a one-note loop of grim historical disputation, with fights over the Confederate flag and monuments interrupted only by meteorological disaster. Richard Fausset, ajc, "Easy pleasures and hard questions in Southern magazines," 10 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'disputation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of disputation

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More Definitions for disputation

disputation

noun

English Language Learners Definition of disputation

formal : a disagreement or argument

More from Merriam-Webster on disputation

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with disputation

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for disputation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about disputation