Definition of debate
: a contention by words or arguments Our polite chat about politics became a heated debate. The case sparked a raging public debate on property rights.: such asa law, government : the formal discussion of a motion (see 1motion 3a) before a deliberative body according to the rules of parliamentary procedureb : a regulated discussion of a proposition (see 1proposition 1b) between two matched sides the last presidential debate before the election the debate's moderator
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Examples of debate in a Sentence
The candidates participated in several debates before the election was held.
The meaning of the text has been the subject of considerable debate among scholars for many years.
Origin and Etymology of debate
see 2debate
First Known Use: 13th century
debate
Definition of debate
debated
;debating
intransitive verb
2a : to contend in wordsb : to discuss a question by considering opposed arguments
3 : to participate in a debate the six primary candidates who debated last night
transitive verb
1a : to argue about the subject was hotly debatedb : to engage (an opponent) in debate a governor debating her challenger
2 : to turn over in one's mind : to think about (something, such as different options) in order to decide still debating what to do
debater
nounExamples of debate in a Sentence
Scholars have been debating the meaning of the text for years.
Whether or not the tax cuts benefit the lower classes is still hotly debated among economists.
The energy bill is currently being debated in Congress.
The President debated his challenger in front of a live audience on Tuesday.
The students debated for an hour.
Origin and Etymology of debate
Middle English, from Anglo-French debatre, from de- + batre to beat, from Latin battuere
First Known Use: 14th century
Synonym Discussion of debate
DEBATE Defined for English Language Learners
debate
playDefinition of debate for English Language Learners
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: a discussion between people in which they express different opinions about something
debate
Definition of debate for English Language Learners
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: to discuss (something) with people whose opinions are different from your own
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: to compete against (someone) in a debate : to argue against another person's opinions as part of an organized event
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: to think about (something) in order to decide what to do
DEBATE Defined for Kids
Definition of debate for Students
1 : a discussion or argument carried on between two teams or sides
2 : a discussion of issues We had a debate over where to go on vacation.
Definition of debate for Students
debated
;debating
1 : to discuss a question by giving arguments on both sides : take part in a debate
2 : to consider reasons for and against : give serious and careful thought to Mrs. Welsch seemed to be debating whether to say what she finally did. — Louise Fitzhugh, Harriet the Spy
debater
nounLearn More about debate
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See words that rhyme with debate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for debate Spanish Central: Translation of debate Nglish: Translation of debate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of debate for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about debate
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