A polemic is a forceful, aggressive argument against someone's ideas or beliefs. When someone writes or speaks a polemic, they attack their opponent's position with sharp criticism and strong language, going beyond simple disagreement.

Today, you might read a polemic against a school policy, a political position, or a scientific theory. Writers use polemics when they feel passionate about proving something wrong.

A polemic is different from a calm discussion or friendly debate. If two students disagree about whether recess should be longer and they discuss their views respectfully, that's a debate. But if one student writes an angry essay calling the other's ideas foolish and dangerous, that's a polemic.

The related adjective is polemical, describing writing or speech that's aggressively argumentative. A polemical essay might use sarcasm, harsh criticism, and dramatic language to tear down opposing views. While polemics can be powerful and sometimes necessary when fighting for important causes, they rarely change minds because people tend to stop listening when they feel attacked instead of respected.