controversial

Compared meaning: causing disagreement or argument (adjective).

比较义项：引起争议、有争议（形容词）。

• controversial 本词

  The most common and neutral of the three; describes issues, decisions or people that spark widespread public disagreement, often reported in the news.

  三者中最常用、语气最中性的词，指广泛引发公众争论的议题、决定或人物，常见于新闻报道。

  The mayor's plan to close the park at night proved highly controversial.

  市长打算夜间关闭公园的计划引发了极大争议。

• contentious

  More formal; stresses an ongoing, often heated dispute between opposing sides, typical in negotiations, politics or legal disagreements.

  语气更正式，强调对立双方之间持续、往往激烈的争执，常见于谈判、政治或法律纠纷中。

  The salary negotiations grew so contentious that both sides walked out of the room.

  薪资谈判变得如此争执不下，以至于双方都愤然离席。

• debatable

  Milder; means something is open to doubt or discussion rather than fiercely contested, often used to soften a claim rather than describe a public conflict.

  语气较弱，表示某事有待商榷或值得怀疑，而非激烈对立，常用于委婉地质疑某个说法，而非描述公开的冲突。

  Whether the movie deserved the award is debatable, in my opinion.

  依我看，这部电影是否应得该奖项还有待商榷。

All three describe something causing disagreement, at different strength. Controversial is common and neutral, for issues or people that spark public argument. Contentious is more formal, stressing ongoing, heated dispute, typical in politics or law. Debatable is milder: open to doubt rather than fiercely contested.

这三个词都可表示某事物“有争议”，但语气和场合不同：controversial 最常用、语气最中性，指广为人知、引发公众争论的话题、决定或人物；contentious 语气更正式，强调对立双方之间持续甚至激烈的争执，常见于谈判、政治或法律语境，也可指“好争论的”人，此处不比较该用法；debatable 语气较弱，只表示某事有待商榷、值得怀疑，未必引发激烈冲突，常用于委婉地质疑某个说法。