dispute

UK: noun: /ˈdɪspjuːt/, verb: /dɪˈspjuːt/

US: /dɪˈspjut/

US: (di spyo̅o̅t′)

Inflections of 'dispute' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

disputes

v 3rd person singular

disputing

v pres p

disputed

v past

disputed

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dis•pute /dɪˈspyut/   v., -put•ed, -put•ing, n. 
v. 

1. to be in an argument or debate;
   argue: [no object]
   The school board members spend their time disputing and getting nothing done.
   [~ + with + object]
   We were disputing with the committee on how to proceed.
2. to argue or debate about;
   argue against;
   call (something) in question: [~ + object]
   The accountant disputes the figures you gave her.
   [~ + that clause]
   The administration does not dispute that the cuts in personnel will hurt good service.

n. 

3. debate, controversy, or difference of opinion:
   [countable] The dispute concerns capital punishment.
   [uncountable] much dispute over how to inspect nuclear weapons-producing plants.
4. a quarrel;
   a fight:
   [countable] a loud dispute in the middle of the night.

dis•put•a•ble, adj. See -pute-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dis•pute  (di spyo̅o̅t′), v., -put•ed, -put•ing, n. 
v.i. 

1. to engage in argument or debate.
2. to argue vehemently;
   wrangle or quarrel.

v.t. 

3. to argue or debate about;
   discuss.
4. to argue against;
   call in question:
   to dispute a proposal.
5. to quarrel or fight about;
   contest.
6. to strive against;
   oppose:
   to dispute an advance of troops.

n. 

7. a debate, controversy, or difference of opinion.
8. a wrangling argument;
   quarrel.

• Latin disputāre to argue a point, equivalent. to dis- dis-¹ + putāre to reckon, consider; see putative
• Anglo-French, Old French desputer)
• Middle English (1275–1325

dis•pute′less, adj. 
dis•put′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. bicker, squabble.
• 8. disputation, altercation, wrangle, bickering, squabble. See argument. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dispute verb / dɪˈspjuːt/

1. to argue, debate, or quarrel about (something)
2. (tr; may take a clause as object) to doubt the validity, etc, of
3. (transitive) to seek to win; contest for
4. (transitive) to struggle against; resist

noun / dɪˈspjuːt ˈdɪspjuːt/

1. an argument or quarrel

Etymology: 13th Century: from Late Latin disputāre to contend verbally, from Latin: to discuss, from dis-¹ + putāre to think

disˈputer noun