debate
Americannoun
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debates
plural
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a discussion, as of a public question in an assembly, involving opposing viewpoints.
a debate in the Senate on farm price supports.
- Synonyms:
- contention, disputation, controversy, argument
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a formal contest in which the affirmative and negative sides of a proposition are advocated by opposing speakers.
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Archaic. strife; contention.
verb (used without object)
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debates,
present (3rd person singular)
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debated,
past participle, past
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debating
present participle
verb (used with object)
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debates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
debated,
past participle, past
-
debating
present participle
-
to argue or discuss (a question, issue, or the like), as in a legislative or public assembly.
They debated the matter of free will.
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to dispute or disagree about.
The homeowners debated the value of a road on the island.
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to engage in formal argumentation or disputation with (another person, group, etc.).
Jones will debate Smith. Harvard will debate Princeton.
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to deliberate upon; consider.
He debated his decision in the matter.
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Archaic. to contend for or over.
noun
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a formal discussion, as in a legislative body, in which opposing arguments are put forward
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discussion or dispute
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the formal presentation and opposition of a specific motion, followed by a vote
verb
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to discuss (a motion), esp in a formal assembly
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to deliberate upon (something)
he debated with himself whether to go
Usage
What does debate mean? A debate is a public discussion of a common topic or question between people on both sides of an issue, as in Voters were disappointed that there were no debates between the candidates. A debate is also a formal contest in which the debaters speak on opposite sides of a topic. Every debate is an argument but not every argument is a debate. While debates are competitive, both sides are attempting to persuade the other and the audience, not insult, hurt, or reprimand the other. To debate means to engage in such discussions, as in The senate spent all night debating these weighty issues. To debate also means to deliberate or weigh the pros and cons of a decision one has to make. Example: I debated going on the trip, but I decided it was best for my mental health to stay home.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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debaternoun
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nondebaternoun
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predebatenoun
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predebaternoun
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redebatenoun
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interdebateverb
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overdebateverb
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outdebateverb (used with object)
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nondebatingadjective
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postdebateadjective
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undebatedadjective
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undebatingadjective
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well-debatedadjective
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debatinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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debatesimple
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debatessimple
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have debatedperfect
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has debatedperfect
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am debatingprogressive
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are debatingprogressive
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is debatingprogressive
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have been debatingperfect progressive
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has been debatingperfect progressive
Past
-
debatedsimple
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had debatedperfect
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was debatingprogressive
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were debatingprogressive
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had been debatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of debate
First recorded in 1250–1300; (for the verb) Middle English debaten, from Old French debatre, from de- de- + batre “to beat” (from Latin battere, earlier battuere ); noun derivative of the verb
Explanation
Another word for formally discuss is debate. Cheese lovers often debate the merits of gorgonzola, triple creme brie, and gouda. Of course, they need to accompany their arguments with a taste test! A debate is a kind of respectful, well reasoned argument over opposing points of view, although tensions can run high and voices can be raised. In fact, the verb evolved from the Old French debatre, meaning “to fight.” Most formal debates, during a political campaign for example, keep the battles to a minimum. But if you find yourself in the midst of a debate between a Red Sox fan and a Yankees fan, things could get ugly!
Vocabulary lists containing debate
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The Articles of Confederation (1777)
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Speech and Debate
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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:
Her role on “The Five” has made her an advocate of going into not-so-friendly territory to debate issues rather than staying in comfort zones where views are unchallenged.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
There’s leeway and debate on how much a person should stash in cash.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
The debate over the rapid progress of AI development was sparked following a series of hacks by AI agents in recent months.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
The box office success of "Obsession" has been the subject of much debate in Hollywood as the industry continues working to boost theater audiences to levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
“I’m sure it will take only a few minutes. Faster to get it done with than to stand here and debate it.”
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Beyond debates surrounding regulatory policy, investors should be mindful that volatility is increasing as the AI trade transitions into a new phase — one that’s more dependent on debt instead of free cash flow.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
The original debates around superhuman AI date to online forums in the 1990s.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Back then, they were “a fount of car games, sing-alongs, impassioned debates, and wistful dreaming-out-loud.”
From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026
Before the debates, Mr. Bush and his advisers managed expectations by hyping Mr. Gore as a great debater.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Certainly the animals did not want Jones back; if the holding of debates on Sunday mornings was liable to bring him back, then the debates must stop.
From "Animal Farm: A Fairy Story" by George Orwell
The causes of the epidemic were debated at the time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
The reforms, which have yet to be debated in Congress, have drawn criticism from rights groups, opposition leaders and even members of the ruling coalition.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
Since the 2025-26 season ended, and United's summer transfer strategy started to be debated, it seemed obvious the club would move to address a perceived weakness in Michael Carrick's squad.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
For years, researchers have debated why the name of the Assyrian king originally associated with the monument was overwritten with the name of another "Tiglath-pileser."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
They discussed and debated and raved and ranted until they were on the verge of blows, when it was decided to submit the question to arbitration by the princesses.'
From "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
Ideally, we should be debating whether internet access or education are human rights.
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026
Growing the game means fans from Rome to Caracas debating their dream teams in anticipation of the Games.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
Not everyone felt the same and across the country, on social media and at dinner tables, Americans have been debating the case with passion.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Why it matters for CFOs: The deal carries significant weight for finance and other corporate leaders debating how to reduce their AI development costs, or weighing their own AI investments, capital allocation and potential acquisitions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
He was silent for a beat, and I could picture him running his left hand flat down the side of his face, debating.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
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.
