1
as in pondered
to give serious and careful thought to
still debating what to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discussed
to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion
we debated the advantages versus the disadvantages of the proposed waterfront development
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in disputed
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 debated
Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Seclusion and restraint The use of restraint and seclusion practices to address disabled students’ behavioral issues has increasingly become a debated issue among education specialists.
—IndyStar, 8 Sep. 2025
This secular trend is welcome, but its causes remain debated.
—Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Williams, an undersized combo forward who carves out space at will and debated turning pro after a first-team All-Big-12 campaign last year, will be the fulcrum of everything after transferring from Texas Tech.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
For decades, arachnologists debated the actual purpose of stabilimenta, a special thread spiders weave into their webs.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2025
Others debated an attempt, but nobody would brave a taste.
—Ryan Knighton, AFAR Media, 31 Oct. 2025
Others debated whether the ban should extend to pastors who molested 16- and 17-year-olds without having intercourse.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
This will likely be debated for investors.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2025
While the tech world debated whether agentic AI was hype, Benioff was already building it, deploying it, proving it, and restructuring his entire $40 billion company around it.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Republicans have argued that heath care can be debated after the shutdown is over.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Dogs are believed to descend from ancient gray wolves, though the exact wolf populations that gave rise to them remain debated.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Seclusion and restraint The use of restraint and seclusion practices to address disabled students’ behavioral issues has increasingly become a debated issue among education specialists.
—IndyStar, 8 Sep. 2025
This secular trend is welcome, but its causes remain debated.
—Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Though the Maldives is the first country to enact such a ban, similar proposals have been debated – and nearly imposed – in other parts of the world.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Williams, an undersized combo forward who carves out space at will and debated turning pro after a first-team All-Big-12 campaign last year, will be the fulcrum of everything after transferring from Texas Tech.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
For decades, arachnologists debated the actual purpose of stabilimenta, a special thread spiders weave into their webs.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2025
Others debated an attempt, but nobody would brave a taste.
—Ryan Knighton, AFAR Media, 31 Oct. 2025
Others debated whether the ban should extend to pastors who molested 16- and 17-year-olds without having intercourse.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
This will likely be debated for investors.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2025
While the tech world debated whether agentic AI was hype, Benioff was already building it, deploying it, proving it, and restructuring his entire $40 billion company around it.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Republicans have argued that heath care can be debated after the shutdown is over.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debated
Verb
-
The Athletic’s Mike Jones recently wondered if Miami had to go on a postseason run to save McDaniel’s job, and CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz pondered during the Chiefs-Raiders game whether there would soon be news out of Miami.—
Zac Jackson,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Charles Lee pondered his answer for a split second.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Speaking at a seminar at TIFFCOM, the festival’s market arm, the team behind the five country co-production, which included Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, France, and Luxembourg, discussed the difficulties balancing the requirements of film funds from each country.—
Marcus Lim,
Variety,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Officials, though, are less confident that a trade agreement discussed in July will be finalized, as the countries remain deadlocked over the details of Seoul’s $350 billion investment pledge.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In disputed territories, the drone’s ability to deliver real-time monitoring and rapid response capabilities could give operators a significant tactical advantage, reinforcing control over contested zones, the South China Morning Post writes.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Palace’s first goal came from a corner — albeit a disputed one, given the final touch seemed to come off Tyrick Mitchell — as a back-post ball towards Marc Guehi forced a mistake from Ryan Gravenberch, whose misplaced header fell perfectly for Ismaila Sarr to score.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
To that point, the settlement attempts to correct an economic harm and cannot address possible harms that are contemplated by other areas of law.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The idea of even having to make a decision like the one being contemplated in Dynamite is so difficult that most presidents would prefer not think about it until absolutely necessary.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
When its army entered Gaza in late 1956, the Israeli government argued that national security interests required it to control the Strip.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The issue of filing deadlines wasn't argued before the Supreme Court, nor the circuit court, Wood said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
As my colleague Sam McDowell noted last month, the Chiefs’ have a short-yardage play that’s more effective than the Eagles’ controversial Tush Push.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Mamdani initially tried to stay on-message, offering a quick disavowal of an unsavory association or controversial past statement and pivoting back his agenda.—
Ben Adler,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Moore said that while any and all legal options will be considered, the group's main focus will be on advocacy for pretrial services and other programming that can keep people out of jail.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Those employees are considered essential and have continued working without pay.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Early on, the larvae are very tiny and at the mercy of sea currents, explains Pruett, who has studied them in the lab.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The researchers studied 1,591 individuals as part of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, a cohort that studied children born in 1997 and 1998 through age 23.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debated. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share