dispute
dispute — noun
1. a situation in which two sides express opposing views, often in a formal or offi
a situation in which two sides express opposing views, often in a formal or official setting such as a workplace, court, or international negotiation
The contract dispute between the union and management lasted over six months.
collocation: contract dispute
Esteban's team and the other department settled their dispute through mediation.
A border dispute between the two countries led to renewed diplomatic talks.
The dispute over who owned the land went all the way to the Supreme Court.
Salma tried to avoid getting involved in the petty dispute between her two colleagues.
- argument
less formal, can describe any verbal disagreement between individuals
- disagreement
gentler tone; can refer to a minor difference of opinion
- conflict
suggests stronger opposition, and may involve physical or emotional struggle beyond words
文法句型
dispute over [noun phrase]
dispute about [noun phrase]
dispute between [plural persons/groups]
用法筆記
Frequently paired with the prepositions 'over' or 'about' to indicate the subject of the disagreement, and 'between' to name the parties involved. More formal than 'argument' and common in legal, political, and workplace contexts.
常見錯誤
dispute — verb
1. to express strong disagreement with a statement, decision, or claim, especially
to express strong disagreement with a statement, decision, or claim, especially in a formal context such as a legal proceeding, business negotiation, or political debate
The lawyer disputed the witness's account of what happened that night.
transitive: dispute + [claim/account/statement]
No one disputed Tuan's right to speak at the town hall meeting.
The government disputed the accuracy of the report's findings.
Marta never disputed that she had been at the scene, but she denied any involvement.
The study's findings were so clear that they were rarely disputed.
- accept
to agree that a statement or claim is true or valid
- acknowledge
to admit or recognize the truth of something
文法句型
dispute + noun phrase
dispute + that-clause
be disputed by [agent]
用法筆記
Unlike 'argue' or 'debate', which can be used intransitively, 'dispute' as a verb is almost always transitive: you dispute something (a claim, a decision, a statement), not 'dispute with someone'. When followed by a that-clause, the clause expresses the proposition being denied.