debrief
Americanverb (used with object)
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to interrogate (a soldier, astronaut, diplomat, etc.) on return from a mission in order to assess the conduct and results of the mission.
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to question formally and systematically in order to obtain useful intelligence or information.
Political and economic experts routinely debrief important defectors about conditions in their home country.
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to subject to prohibitions against revealing or discussing classified information, as upon separation from a position of military or political sensitivity.
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Psychology. (after an experiment) to disclose to the subject the purpose of the experiment and any reasons for deception or manipulation.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of debrief
Explanation
When you debrief someone, you interview the person about an experience, project, or mission they've completed. A soldier's commanding officer might debrief her after a particularly difficult battle. Spies and military personnel might expect their superiors to debrief them after a mission — the process is called a debriefing, and it includes questions about the experience and instructions about which details must be kept classified. Educators and counselors sometimes also debrief people, particularly those who have experienced tragedy or trauma, and who can be helped by talking through their experiences. The word debrief emerged at the end of World War II, originally as a military term.
Vocabulary lists containing debrief
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The big VAR debrief - did it deny Bournemouth Champions League spot?
From BBC • May 29, 2026
Air Force personnel and collecting documents on topics of interest to China, before returning to debrief Chinese intelligence officials and allowing them to retrieve data from his electronic devices.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
The freshly ousted president of Kosovo pops in for a debrief.
From Slate • May 8, 2026
“They didn’t like the vibe,” he tells Syd in a morning-after debrief.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2025
Together they would debrief the Soviet spy in a safe house hidden away in northern Virginia.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
