debug

verb

de·​bug (ˌ)dē-ˈbəg How to pronounce debug (audio)
debugged; debugging; debugs

transitive verb

1
: to remove insects from
2
: to eliminate errors in or malfunctions of
debug a computer program
3
: to remove a concealed microphone or wiretapping device from
debugger noun

Examples of debug in a Sentence

She's been hired to write and debug computer programs. the computer program ran much faster after it was debugged
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.
LinkedIn’s chief economic opportunity officer, Aneesh Raman, pointed out in May that AI tools are doing the types of simple coding and debugging tasks that junior software developers did to gain experience. Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 July 2025 This clear separation reduces variance, simplifies debugging and ensures the assistant doesn’t veer off track in the middle of a task. Alan Nichol, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 For many real-world applications—debugging code, solving math problems, or analyzing structured data—pattern matching from vast training sets is enough to be useful. ArsTechnica, 11 June 2025 Clarion quickly produces a debugging script and executing code validation. Clint Boulton, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for debug

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of debug was in 1944

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Cite this Entry

“Debug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debug. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

debug

verb
de·​bug (ˈ)dē-ˈbəg How to pronounce debug (audio)
: to remove mistakes from
debug a computer program

More from Merriam-Webster on debug

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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