Critics differed sharply on the merits of his work. (=they had very different opinions)
Opinions differ about the proper relationship between the mass media and society.
be divided / split adjective if a group of people is divided or split on something, some of them have one opinion and others have a completely different opinion:
America's doctors remain deeply divided on the issue of whether it should be legal for a physician to help a terminally ill patient commit suicide.
Scientists were split on the uses to which the discoveries of atomic physics were being put.
be mistaken adjective used to say that you disagree with someone or with an opinion that they have, and think that they are wrong:
He is mistaken if he believes that the United States will not respond to this threat.
Such a view is, however, seriously mistaken.
When people disagree about something
disagreement noun [uncountable and countable] if there is disagreement about something, people do not agree about it:
There is considerable disagreement among experts about the usefulness of these tests.
She found herself in disagreement with her colleagues on the issue. (=she found that she disagreed with them about it)
dispute noun [uncountable and countable] a serious disagreement, in which two people, organizations, or countries publicly disagree and argue with each other:
He became involved in a long legal dispute with his publisher.
There is considerable dispute over the precise definition of this term.
The United Nations is trying to settle the bitter and long-running dispute between the two countries.
controversy noun [uncountable and countable] serious disagreement, especially with people expressing strongly opposing views in newspapers, in books, on television etc:
There has been a lot of controversy over abortion in the US.
Alice Walker writes about the controversy surrounding the film version of her novel, 'The Color Purple'.
There is some controversy among biologists about whether this is actually true.
Causing disagreement
contentious adjective a formal word used to describe statements and situations that cause a lot of disagreement and argument:
Water has been a contentious issue between Turkey and its neighbours for years.
One particularly contentious area in the field of health and safety is the valuation of human life itself.
controversial adjective causing a lot of disagreement among people, with strongly opposing opinions being expressed in newspapers, in books, on television etc:
The use of genetic tests is a controversial issue.
The judge's decision was highly controversial at the time.
Oliver Cromwell remains a somewhat controversial historical figure.
divisive adjective causing arguments between people and making them form into two opposing groups:
The war was extremely divisive.
Same-sex marriage remains a divisive issue in many parts of the US.
Effects
*see also Causes
Words meaning effect
To affect something or someone
1. Words meaning effect
effect noun [uncountable and countable] a change caused by something:
She was one of the first scientists to study the effects of radiation on the human body.
At first, the treatment seemed to have no effect.
Some people believe that television has a positive effect on our lives, while others think that it has a negative effect.
Building hundreds of new homes is likely to have an adverse effect on the environment. (=a bad effect)
The food we eat has a significant effect upon our mental ability. (=an important and noticeable effect)
The decision could have far-reaching effects. (=on a lot of things or people) STUDY NOTE: Grammar
Don't forget that effect is a noun and affect is a verb.
impact noun [uncountable and countable] the effect that something has, especially a big and permanent effect that happens as a result of something important:
In practice, the change in the law did not have much impact.
His work has had an enormous impact on the study of genetics. (=a very big impact)
The war had a devastating impact on the country's industries. (=it caused a great amount of damage)
Population growth will have a profound impact upon world demand for food. (=a very big impact)
influence noun [uncountable and countable] the effect that something has on people's opinions or behaviour, or on how something develops:
In his book, McCluhan examines the influence of the media on our society.
The English philosopher Thomas Hobbes had a considerable influence on Spinoza.
For much of the 20th century, Berlin exerted a unique influence on the world. (=it had a unique influence)
STUDY NOTE: Grammar
The usual preposition to use with effect, impact, or influence is on. In formal English, people also use upon with the same meaning.
side effect noun [countable] an unwanted effect that something has in addition to its good effects. Side effect is used especially about drugs and medical treatment:
Experts warn that this is a powerful drug which can have dangerous side effects.
Common side effects of the treatment include headaches and muscle pains.
aftereffects noun [plural] bad effects that continue for a long time after the thing that caused them:
The country is still suffering from the aftereffects of war.
The aftereffects of the illness can last for months.
knock-on effect noun [uncountable and countable] a British English phrase, used when something has an effect on something, which then has an effect on something else:
The strikes are likely to have a knock-on effect on the whole economy.
If one flight is delayed, it can have knock-on effects on the other flights.
repercussions noun [plural] the bad effects that happen later as a result of an event, which continue for a long time afterwards:
It was a major economic crisis with serious social and political repercussions.
The scandal could have serious repercussions for her political career.
implications noun [plural] the possible effects that something is likely to have in the future:
The results of the study could have important implications for future educational policy.