discuss
Americanverb (used with object)
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discusses,
present (3rd person singular)
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discussed,
past participle, past
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discussing
present participle
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to consider or examine by argument, comment, etc.; talk over or write about, especially to explore solutions; debate.
to discuss the proposed law on taxes.
- Synonyms:
- deliberate, reason
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Civil Law.
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to collect a debt from (the person primarily liable) before proceeding against the person secondarily liable.
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to execute against the movable property of (a debtor) before proceeding against the debtor's immovable property, as land.
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Rare. to consume (food or drink) enthusiastically.
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Obsolete. to make known; reveal.
verb
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to have a conversation about; consider by talking over; debate
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to treat (a subject) in speech or writing
the first three volumes discuss basic principles
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facetious to eat or drink with enthusiasm
Usage
What does discuss mean? Discuss means to have a conversation about or talk about a particular topic, especially to examine it more closely, debate it, or figure out a solution. You can discuss something with another person or multiple people, or you can discuss something by talking or writing about it for an audience. Discuss tends to be used in contexts in which the topic is at least somewhat serious. The noun form of discuss is discussion. Example: Listen, class, the purpose of breaking into small groups is to discuss your projects—not to chat about your personal life.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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discussantnoun
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discussernoun
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overdiscussverb (used with object)
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prediscussverb (used with object)
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rediscussverb (used with object)
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discussableadjective
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discussibleadjective
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nondiscussibleadjective
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undiscussableadjective
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undiscussibleadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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discusssimple
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discussessimple
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have discussedperfect
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has discussedperfect
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am discussingprogressive
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are discussingprogressive
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is discussingprogressive
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have been discussingperfect progressive
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has been discussingperfect progressive
Past
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discussedsimple
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had discussedperfect
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was discussingprogressive
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were discussingprogressive
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had been discussingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of discuss
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, either from Anglo-French discusser or directly from Latin discussus “struck asunder, shaken, scattered,” past participle of discutere, equivalent to dis- dis- 1 + -cutere (combining form of quatere “to shake, strike”)
Explanation
To discuss is to talk: but with a more serious intent. Discussing is a lot more substantial than chatting. When someone says, "I have something I need to discuss with you," most people think "Uh oh." To discuss usually implies a certain amount of serious talking. This can apply to writing as well: essays discuss topics, usually in a careful, thorough way. On the other hand, sometimes discuss means exactly the same thing as talk or converse. Like all words, the meaning depends on how it’s used.
Vocabulary lists containing discuss
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 5
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade 11)
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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.
See Examples For:
It is understood the party has now offered the Board, as well as the Jewish Leadership Council and the Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, a meeting with Bonehill-Pain so they can discuss their concerns directly.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
He counsels letter writers on how to handle a cheating brother, discuss religion with a devout friend, and avoid spiraling over the fear of being single forever.
From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2026
Still, he welcomes the chance to discuss books, his voice swelling with excitement at the mention of Emily St. John Mandel and Ottessa Moshfegh — both personal favorites.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
The league said it would convene an emergency executive committee meeting with club officials and representatives of the players' association to discuss additional safety measures.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
“I think you have not been using the Swanburne hair poultice, as I asked you to do; am I right? Well, we shall discuss that shortly.”
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
The sold-out show called Cartwheel, which Knox will perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, discusses motherhood and how she will explain the case to her daughter.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
In this week’s Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick continues the “By the People” series, in which she discusses the landmark 2015 marriage-equality decision Obergefell with co-host Mark Joseph Stern and gay rights advocate Marc Solomon.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
Wearing a headset and glued to her laptop, Walaa discusses AI on a video call with her mentor in California's Silicon Valley.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
In a joint video interview with Orton, she discusses the impact of Manson on her life and where things currently stand with her father.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
While the rest of the group sips tea and discusses potential complications, I stand at the fence, blowing on Otto’s face and saying my good-byes.
From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer
The Home Office said the Southport attacks may have also led to a 117% increase in referrals discussed at a Channel panel, rising from 997 to 2,159.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Research discussed in the Financial Times, external, drawing on findings from Soccernomics by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski, argues that player quality and spending remain stronger predictors of results than managerial changes alone.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
A proposal being discussed would allow Gulf-bound ships to enter through Iranian waters while vessels leaving would pass through Omani waters without paying fees.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Last year, OpenAI acquired a startup co-founded by former Apple design guru Jony Ive, and Ive and company executives including Chief Executive Sam Altman discussed plans to produce a family of AI devices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Then they discussed movies and books—well, books that had been made into movies.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
After he was released, he posted a video discussing the ordeal and said that God presented himself to him and that he was a changed man.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
They then connected with Le and Ghemawat and started discussing building the infrastructure to allow more kinds of science to be automated and what would be needed to do that.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
One prisoner refers to a "rocket testing site" while discussing bratwurst supplies for the top brass.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
"On platforms, like Reddit, people are discussing what they are going to do to navigate the heatwave," she says.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
I did not feel like discussing Charles’s personal business with Henry.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
