debatable

adjective

di-ˈbā-tə-bəl How to pronounce debatable (audio)
Definition of debatablenext
1
as in questionable
open to question or dispute it's always debatable which college football team is really number one, since there's more than one ranking system

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disputable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged the debatable wisdom of going back for another helping from the buffet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of debatable Still, Fazio’s claim that the budget caps are effectively nullified is debatable, at best. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026 When penalty calls or red cards remain debatable, people can become frustrated. — Pooya Tabesh, The Conversation, 30 July 2026 For now, the Purdy-Jones fit could be the NFL’s best quarterback pairing, debatable with Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Joe Flacco. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 16 July 2026 Whether the controversy truly affected the game remains debatable. — Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for debatable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debatable
  1. questionable
  2. disputable
  3. arguable
  4. dubious
  5. problematic
  6. doubtful
  7. suspicious
Adjective
  • Currently at issue are three forms of gambling — two legal, one questionable.
    — Joe Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Johnny Marr has another message for those with questionable perspectives.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of questionable
Adjective
  • But revenue coming in at double the projections is not disputable and cannot happen if the tax base runs away.
    — Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • However, disputable refereeing decisions, especially in the matches against Italy and Spain, led to allegations that South Korea may have benefited from favorable officiating.
    — Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 June 2026
Definition of disputable
Adjective
  • Pairing Diggs with McLaurin gives Washington arguable its best wide receiver duo since Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson each topped the 1,000-yard mark in 2016.
    — Ethan Cadeaux, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
  • What’s less arguable is the quality of Kinnear’s performance, a fine study in comic understatement at first that modulates into a delicately limned portrait of pain barely stifled.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026
Definition of arguable
Adjective
  • Overt leaflet and loudspeaker campaigns, which the US military also used during the Gulf War and in Iraq and Afghanistan, were meant to weaken morale and instill fear (to dubious success).
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Though the current protests were sparked by the Kushner’s access to advantages from the Albanian government, the Sazan Island incident was a greater representation of Rama’s many dubious dealings.
    — Naomi Tomky, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of dubious
Adjective
  • Animal-rights groups have been problematic at times with the zoos.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Instagram users have always been able to block others — and, along with Meta’s oldest crown jewel, Facebook — the app has gradually added features for reporting problematic accounts and inappropriate content.
    — Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of problematic
Adjective
  • For much of last year, Head Start, the federal program that provides child-care and preschool services for low-income families, appeared to have a doubtful future.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Even if the limb could be spared, its future usefulness was doubtful.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of doubtful
Adjective
  • Luke Halls’ video and projections add another layer of visual unease, allowing screens and technology inside the home to become as suspicious as its shadowy corners.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • As Joan Acocella wrote for this magazine, in 2008, a suspicious number of cures happen to include alcohol as a main ingredient.
    — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of suspicious

Browse Nearby Words

debasing
debatable
debate
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Cite this Entry

“Debatable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debatable. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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