polarising
Creating strong disagreement
Polarising is the British spelling of polarizing.
To polarise is to divide into sharply opposed groups or positions: The debate polarised the electorate.
A polarising figure or issue creates strong reactions—people either support or oppose, with little middle ground.
The word comes from the physics of light waves aligning in a single plane, extended to any situation where positions become starkly opposed.
Causing sharp disagreement
- contentiousInclined toward disagreement
- controversialCausing public dispute
- provocativeMeant to provoke response
- inflammatoryTending to provoke outrage
splitting · alienating · estranging · wedge · fracturing · disuniting · tribal · partisan
Causing public dispute
- MarmiteSavory yeast extract paste
- divisiveCausing sharp disagreement
- firebrandAgitator or burning stick
- rabble-rouserOne who stirs dissent
demagogue · provocateur · iconoclast · agitator · polemicist · gadfly · contrarian · outspoken
Inclined toward disagreement
- disputedArgued over, unresolved
- incendiaryCausing or designed for burning
- hot-buttonEmotionally charged, controversial
- flashpointIgnition temperature threshold
touchstone · battleground · firestorm · backlash · outcry · uproar · discourse · takes
Porous separation device
- lensLight-focusing curved glass
- polarizerSelective light-wave filter
- polaroidSelf-developing photograph
- sunglassesTinted eye protection
LCD · dichroic · photographic · reflection · refraction · circular · linear · analyzer
Strongly attracted to magnets
- dipoleSeparated opposite charges
- domainsAreas of control or expertise
- alignmentCorrect relative positioning
- north-southAlong the meridian
attraction · repulsion · magnetization · electromagnet · lodestone · flux · induction · poles
divisive
Causing sharp disagreement
- contentiousInclined toward disagreement
- controversialCausing public dispute
- provocativeMeant to provoke response
inflammatory · splitting · alienating · estranging · wedge · fracturing · disuniting · tribal · partisan · factional
controversial
Causing public dispute
- MarmiteSavory yeast extract paste
- divisiveCausing sharp disagreement
- firebrandAgitator or burning stick
rabble-rouser · demagogue · provocateur · iconoclast · agitator · polemicist · gadfly · contrarian · outspoken · inflammatory
contentious
Inclined toward disagreement
- disputedArgued over, unresolved
- incendiaryCausing or designed for burning
- hot-buttonEmotionally charged, controversial
flashpoint · touchstone · battleground · firestorm · backlash · outcry · uproar · discourse · takes · discourse
filter
Porous separation device
- lensLight-focusing curved glass
- polarizerSelective light-wave filter
- polaroidSelf-developing photograph
sunglasses · LCD · dichroic · photographic · reflection · refraction · circular · linear · analyzer · extinction
ferromagnetic
Strongly attracted to magnets
- dipoleSeparated opposite charges
- domainsAreas of control or expertise
- alignmentCorrect relative positioning
north-south · attraction · repulsion · magnetization · electromagnet · lodestone · flux · induction · poles · saturation
polarisingunifying
Making disparate elements one
uniting · bridging · reconciling · bringing together · healing
polarisinguncontroversial
Not subject to debate
inoffensive · anodyne · bland · safe · neutral
polarisingconsensus-building
Creating widespread agreement
bipartisan · conciliatory · moderating · agreeable · crowd-pleasing
pole, polar, polarization, polarity, polarizing, bipolar, polarize, polarized, polarizes