issue

American  

[ish-oo, is-yoo] / ˈɪʃ u, ˈɪs ju /

noun

• issues
  plural

1. the act of sending out or putting forth; promulgation; distribution.

   the issue of food and blankets to flood victims.

2. something that is printed or published and distributed, especially a given number of a periodical.

   Have you seen the latest issue of the magazine?

   Synonyms:

   printing, edition

3. something that is sent out or put forth in any form.

4. a quantity of something that is officially offered for sale or put into circulation at one time.

   a new issue of commemorative stamps;

   a new bond issue.

5. a point in question or a matter that is in dispute, as between contending parties in an action at law.

   Synonyms:

   crux

6. a point, matter, or dispute, the decision of which is of special or public importance.

   the political issues.

   Synonyms:

   question, problem

7. a point, the decision of which determines a matter.

   The real issue in the strike was the right to bargain collectively.

   Synonyms:

   question, problem, crux

8. a point at which a matter is ready for decision.

   to bring a case to an issue.

9. something proceeding from any source, as a product, effect, result, or consequence.

   His words were the issue of an intelligent man.

10. Often issues

    1. a personal or emotional problem.

       I had issues that prevented me from doing well in school.

    2. any problem or difficulty.

       Sorry I'm late—I had an issue with parking.

11. the ultimate result, event, or outcome of a proceeding, affair, etc..

    the issue of a contest.

    Synonyms:

    end, conclusion, upshot

12. a distribution of food rations, clothing, equipment, or ammunition to a number of officers or enlisted soldiers, or to a military unit.

13. offspring; progeny.

    to die without issue.

14. a going, coming, passing, or flowing out.

    free issue and entry.

15. a place or means of egress; outlet or exit.

16. something that comes out, as an outflowing stream.

17. Pathology.

    1. a discharge of blood, pus, or the like.

    2. an incision, ulcer, or the like, emitting such a discharge.

18. English Law. issues, the profits from land or other property.

19. the printing of copies of a work from the original setting of type with some slight changes.

    the third issue of the poem.

20. Obsolete. a proceeding or action.

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verb (used with object)

• issues,
  present (3rd person singular)
• issued,
  past participle,  past
• issuing
  present participle

1. to put out; deliver for use, sale, etc.; put into circulation.

2. to mint, print, or publish for sale or distribution.

   to issue a new coin;

   to issue a reprint of a book.

3. to give or grant officially to a particular person or group.

   The United States is the first country to issue a patent for an animal developed using biological techniques.

4. to distribute (food, clothing, equipment, etc.) to members of the military, employees, students, etc.

5. to send out; discharge; emit.

verb (used without object)

• issues,
  present (3rd person singular)
• issued,
  past participle,  past
• issuing
  present participle

1. to go, pass, or flow out; come forth; emerge.

   to issue forth to battle.

   Antonyms:

   return

2. to be sent, put forth, or distributed authoritatively or publicly, as a legal writ or money.

3. to be published, as a book.

4. to originate or proceed from any source.

   Synonyms:

   spring, arise, emanate, flow

5. to arise as a result or consequence; result.

   a reaction that issues from the stimulus.

   Synonyms:

   ensue

6. Chiefly Law. to proceed as offspring, or be born or descended.

7. Chiefly Law. to come as a yield or profit, as from land.

8. Archaic. to have the specified outcome, result, etc. (often followed byin ).

9. Obsolete. to end; terminate.

idioms

1. at issue,

   1. being disputed or under discussion.

   2. being at opposite viewpoints; in disagreement.

      Medical experts are still at issue over the proper use of tranquilizers.

2. join issue,

   1. to enter into controversy or take exception to.

   2. to submit an issue jointly for legal decision.

3. take issue, to disagree; dispute.

   He took issue with me on my proposal for a new advertising campaign.

issue British  

/ ˈɪʃuː, ˈɪsjuː /

noun

1. the act of sending or giving out something; supply; delivery

2. something issued; an edition of stamps, a magazine, etc

3. the number of identical items, such as banknotes or shares in a company, that become available at a particular time

4. the act of emerging; outflow; discharge

5. something flowing out, such as a river

6. a place of outflow; outlet

7. the descendants of a person; offspring; progeny

8. a topic of interest or discussion

9. an important subject requiring a decision

10. an outcome or consequence; result

11. pathol

    1. a suppurating sore

    2. discharge from a wound

12. law the matter remaining in dispute between the parties to an action after the pleadings

13. the yield from or profits arising out of land or other property

14. military the allocation of items of government stores, such as food, clothing, and ammunition

15. library science

    1. the system for recording current loans

    2. the number of books loaned in a specified period

16. obsolete an act, deed, or proceeding

17. 1. under discussion

    2. in disagreement

18. to compel decision on some matter

19. 1. to join in controversy

    2. to submit an issue for adjudication

20. to disagree

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verb

1. to come forth or emerge or cause to come forth or emerge

2. to publish or deliver (a newspaper, magazine, etc)

3. (tr) to make known or announce

4. (intr) to originate or proceed

5. (intr) to be a consequence; result

6. to end or terminate

7. (tr)

   1. to give out or allocate (equipment, a certificate, etc) officially to someone

   2. (foll by with) to supply officially (with)

issue More Idioms  

1. see at issue; take issue with.

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Usage

What are other ways to say issue? To issue is to go, pass, or flow out. How is issue different from emanate and emerge? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• issuer
  noun
• preissue
  noun
• underissue
  noun
• outissue
  verb (used with object)
• issueless
  adjective
• self-issuing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• issues
  plural

Participles

• issuing
  present
• issued
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• issue
  simple
• issues
  simple
• have issued
  perfect
• has issued
  perfect
• am issuing
  progressive
• are issuing
  progressive
• is issuing
  progressive
• have been issuing
  perfect progressive
• has been issuing
  perfect progressive

Past

• issued
  simple
• had issued
  perfect
• was issuing
  progressive
• were issuing
  progressive
• had been issuing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will issue
  simple
• will have issued
  perfect
• will be issuing
  progressive
• will have been issuing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of issue

First recorded in 1275–1325; from Middle English, from Middle French: “place or passage out”; from Old French (e)issue, from unattested Vulgar Latin exūta, noun use of feminine of unattested exūtus, Latin exitus “act or means of going out,” for the noun senses; from Middle English issuen, derivative of the noun, or from Middle French, Old French (e)issu, past participle of issir “to go out” (ultimately derived from Latin exīre ) for the verb senses; see exit ¹

Explanation

One copy of "Celebrities are Cool" magazine is an issue. It is issued, or put out, by the publisher. You and your mother may argue over the issue, or topic, of whether or not you should read it. The original meaning of the word issue was to put something out. If a celebrity issues a statement or the post office issues new stamps, they put them out for the public. Likewise, an issue is a current topic, sometimes controversial, that is being discussed. Politicians often say they want to talk about the issues (and not their personal lives!). You might hear someone say, "He's got issues" about a person who has some problems, usually emotional ones, but this is a very new use for the word.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

issue issues issued issuing

Shaw has sidestepped concerns about immigration agents targeting schools as an issue outside of a school district’s jurisdiction.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

The US military presence will remain a major issue for Koja, a former civil servant who was also a deputy mayor of Naha, the region's capital city.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

Speakers were concerned with just one issue: What would happen should Paramount pull out?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

Red Bull's Liam Lawson took sixth, ahead of Alpine's Franco Colapinto and McLaren's Oscar Piastri, delayed by a front wing issue after colliding with Russell on the first lap.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

“I don’t know,” Kathy said, and searched her feelings to articulate the issue.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

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

It has cited a host of governance issues and the group’s refusal to “transparently explain the sources of its financing or to explain its full financial dependency, at the time, on a single state-owned company.”

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

A durable power-of-attorney document oversees your financial and medical decisions if/when such issues arise.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026

He pledged on Monday to "make progress on livelihood issues, the economy and childcare assistance" by listening to views of all Okinawan residents.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

At least so that she could tell Molly she tried, that the boy simply had issues and an old family ring but no answers.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Within minutes, Miliband’s office issued a joint statement with the foreign ministers of Canada, France and nine other European nations.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

It issued shares, held stockholder meetings and was run by directors and shareholders.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

The subpoenas issued stated that the information sought was for an ongoing criminal inquiry and was signed by Assistant U.S.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

Of those companies, 72 have issued earnings-per-share outlooks that topped Wall Street’s expectations.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 13, 2026

Although the German Consulate issued them German passports, they were American citizens—enemies of Hitler and the Nazi regime.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

On Saturday night, Saudi authorities said a Houthi projectile fell in an area near the border, hours after issuing alerts warning of the risk of possible attacks.

From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026

While the UAE has not addressed the conversation specifically, it did not deny it either, issuing a statement emphasising that, since the attack by Hamas, it has worked towards de-escalation, regional stability and preventing violence.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

District Judge Indira Talwani granted requests from the states and the independent groups to halt the plans from being implemented nationwide, issuing a preliminary injunction requiring the Postal Service to cease all work on them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

Late last year, he released “Holo Boy,” a collection of re-recorded songs culled from the deep archive—we’re talking dozens of releases—he built by issuing material primarily on the platform Bandcamp.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

The proper line, the one leading to the office responsible for issuing birth certificates and other documents, turned out to be longer than the other one, so we waited another hour.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Related Words

• affair
• argument
• concern
• controversy
• matter
• point
• problem
• question
• subject
• topic