debate

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 all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at discuss