debate

¹de·bate

noun \di-ˈbāt, dē-\

Definition of DEBATE

: a contention by words or arguments: as

a : the formal discussion of a motion before a deliberative body according to the rules of parliamentary procedure

b : a regulated discussion of a proposition between two matched sides

Examples of DEBATE

1. The candidates participated in several debates before the election was held.
2. The meaning of the text has been the subject of considerable debate among scholars for many years.

First Known Use of DEBATE

13th century

Related to DEBATE

Synonyms

account, advisement, consideration, deliberation, reflection, study, thought

Antonyms

short shrift

Related Words

cogitation, contemplation, meditation, pondering, rumination; introspection; agonizing, hesitation, indecision; premeditation

Near Antonyms

acceptance, compliance; concord, peace

Rhymes with DEBATE

abate, ablate, adnate, aerate, age-mate, agnate, airdate, airfreight, alate, arête, await, backdate, baldpate, bandmate, baseplate, bedmate, bedplate, berate, birthrate, bistate, bite plate, blank slate, blind date, blue plate, bookplate, breastplate, casemate, castrate, caudate, cell plate, cerate, cheapskate, checkmate, chelate, chordate, citrate, classmate, clavate, cognate, collate, comate, conflate, connate, Cook Strait, cordate, create, cremate, crenate, curate, cut-rate, deadweight, death rate, deflate, delate, dentate, derate, dictate, dilate, disrate, donate, doorplate, downstate, drawplate, elate, end plate, equate, estate, faceplate, falcate, fellate, filtrate, first-rate, fishplate, fixate, flatmate, floodgate, fluxgate, flyweight, folate, formate, frustrate, gelate, gestate, ground state, gyrate, hamate, hastate, headgate, Hell Gate, helpmate, home plate, hot plate, housemate, hydrate, ice-skate, inflate, ingrate, inmate, innate, instate, irate, jailbait, Kuwait, lactate, lapse rate, legate, liftgate, ligate, lightweight, liquate, lobate, locate, lunate, lustrate, lych-gate, lyrate, magnate, makebate, makeweight, mandate, messmate, migrate, misstate, mutate, nameplate, narrate, negate, Newgate, nitrate, notate, nutate, oblate, of late, orate, ornate, ovate, palmate, palpate, peltate, phonate, pinnate, placate, playdate, playmate, plicate, portrait, postdate, predate, prime rate, probate, prolate, pronate, prorate, prostate, prostrate, punctate, pupate, quadrate, rain date, ramate, rebate, red-bait, relate, restate, roommate, rostrate, rotate, saccate, schoolmate, seatmate, sedate, sensate, septate, serrate, shipmate, short weight, slave state, soleplate, soul mate, spectate, spicate, squamate, stagnate, stalemate, stellate, striate, sublate, substrate, sulcate, summate, tailgate, teammate, Tebet, tenth-rate, ternate, terneplate, testate, third-rate, tinplate, to date, toeplate, tollgate, tractate, translate, tristate, truncate, unweight, update, uprate, upstate, V-8, vacate, vallate, valvate, vibrate, virgate, vulgate, whitebait, workmate

²debate

verb

de·bat·edde·bat·ing

Definition of DEBATE

intransitive verb

1

obsolete : fight, contend

2

a : to contend in words

b : to discuss a question by considering opposed arguments

3

: to participate in a debate

transitive verb

1

a : to argue about <the subject was hotly debated>

b : to engage (an opponent) in debate

2

: to turn over in one's mind <he's still debating what to do>

— de·bate·ment \-ˈbāt-mənt\ noun

— de·bat·er noun

Examples of DEBATE

1. Scholars have been debating the meaning of the text for years.
2. Whether or not the tax cuts benefit the lower classes is still hotly debated among economists.
3. The energy bill is currently being debated in Congress.
4. The President debated his challenger in front of a live audience on Tuesday.
5. The students debated for an hour.

Origin of DEBATE

Middle English, from Anglo-French debatre, from de- + batre to beat, from Latin battuere

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to DEBATE

Synonyms

chew over, cogitate, consider, contemplate, ponder, deliberate, entertain, eye, kick around, meditate, mull (over), perpend, pore (over), question, revolve, ruminate, study, think (about or over), turn, weigh, wrestle (with)

Related Words

muse (upon), reflect (on or upon), reminisce; analyze, explore, review; conclude, reason; second-guess, speculate (about); brood (about or over), dwell (on or upon), fixate (on or upon), fret (about or over), obsess (about or over); believe, conceive, opine; absorb, assimilate, digest, drink (in)

Near Antonyms

disregard, ignore, overlook, slight; dismiss, pooh-pooh (also pooh), reject

See Synonym Discussion at discuss