despite the controversy

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "despite the controversy" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize that a certain event or situation took place despite whatever objections may have been raised. For example: "The new law was passed despite the controversy surrounding it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Despite the controversy, he plans to attend.

The New York Times - Sports

Should the Harud festival had gone ahead despite the controversy?

The New York Times

Despite the controversy, enrolment has more than doubled.

The Guardian

Despite the controversy, Iceland's actions fall squarely within international law.

The New York Times

Despite the controversy, the firm has sounded an optimistic tone about winning approval for the deal.

The New York Times

Holder, despite the controversy he has inspired, has not actually pushed for radical change.

The New Yorker

Despite the controversy, he had maintained a bond with Alibaba executives.

The New York Times

Despite the controversy, support among her Afghan admirers has not ebbed.

The New York Times

Despite the controversy, YouTube would like videos like "Kony 2012" to proliferate.

The Economist

Despite the controversy, the school remains popular locally, with seven applications for every available place.

The Guardian

Despite the controversy, Hunt has since been promoted to health secretary.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "despite the controversy" to clearly indicate that an event or decision occurred even when significant disagreement or public debate existed. This emphasizes the resilience or determination behind the action.

Common error

Avoid using "despite the controversy" when the controversy directly and completely prevented the event. The phrase implies occurrence in spite of the controversy, not because of its complete failure.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "despite the controversy" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate that an action or event occurred even in the presence of significant disagreement or public debate. It sets a contrasting context for the main statement. Ludwig confirms this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Wiki

19%

Science

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "despite the controversy" is a grammatically sound and widely used phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It functions as an adverbial phrase to underscore that an action took place even amid significant disagreement. Its use is particularly frequent in news and media, highlighting resilience or determination. Consider synonyms like "in spite of the controversy" or "notwithstanding the controversy" for variety, and remember that the phrase implies the occurrence of something against opposition, not the prevention of it. This phrase is a powerful way to add emphasis and context to your writing, especially when discussing contentious topics.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in spite of the controversy

Uses "in spite of" instead of "despite", offering a direct synonym with minimal semantic shift.

notwithstanding the controversy

Replaces "despite" with "notwithstanding", presenting a more formal synonym.

even with the controversy

Substitutes "despite" with "even with", slightly altering the tone but maintaining the core meaning.

regardless of the controversy

Emphasizes that the controversy did not affect the outcome, using "regardless of" as an alternative.

irrespective of the controversy

Similar to "regardless of", highlighting that the controversy was not a factor.

controversy notwithstanding

Inverts the structure, placing the controversy first but retaining the meaning.

the controversy notwithstanding

Similar to "controversy notwithstanding", but a more formal and emphatic approach

in the face of controversy

Highlights the act of confronting the controversy directly while proceeding.

despite the disputes

Substitutes "controversy" with a similar term, "disputes".

even though there was controversy

Expands the phrase into a clause, providing more explicit context.

FAQs

How can I use "despite the controversy" in a sentence?

You can use "despite the controversy" to show that something happened even though there was strong disagreement or public debate. For example, "The project moved forward "despite the controversy"".

What phrases are similar to "despite the controversy"?

Similar phrases include "in spite of the controversy", "notwithstanding the controversy", or "regardless of the controversy". All these phrases indicate that something happened even with the existence of a controversy.

Is it correct to say "in spite of the controversy" instead of "despite the controversy"?

Yes, "in spite of the controversy" is a valid and often interchangeable alternative to "despite the controversy". Both phrases have the same meaning.

What is the nuance between "despite the controversy" and "because of the controversy"?

"Despite the controversy" means something happened even though there was a controversy, implying resilience or defiance. "Because of the controversy" means the controversy itself caused or influenced the event.