debatable

adjective

de·​bat·​able di-ˈbā-tə-bəl How to pronounce debatable (audio)
dē-
1
: claimed by more than one country
debatable border territory
2
a
: open to dispute : questionable
the debatable wisdom of his advice
b
: open to debate
3
: capable of being debated
debatably adverb

Examples of debatable in a Sentence

it's always debatable which college football team is really number one, since there's more than one ranking system the debatable wisdom of going back for another helping from the buffet
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Boone believes the Yankees evolved into a good defensive club, but that point is debatable. Levi Weaver, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025 What's still debatable is the exact threshold at which risks increase. Will Stone, NPR, 8 Oct. 2025 Advertisement Ed Gein isn’t wrong to note that great art has arisen from engagement with true crime (though Chain Saw’s inclusion in that canon is debatable). Judy Berman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025 While Stroud's drop in athleticism is debatable, the young signal-caller’s production has dipped since his standout rookie season. Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for debatable

Word History

First Known Use

1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of debatable was in 1536

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Cite this Entry

“Debatable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debatable. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

debatable

adjective
de·​bat·​able di-ˈbāt-ə-bəl How to pronounce debatable (audio)
: open to question or dispute
a debatable decision
debatably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on debatable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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