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.
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Recent Examples of debated
IndyStar, 8 Sep. 2025
This secular trend is welcome, but its causes remain debated.
—Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
In recent years, critics and supporters have vigorously debated its response to post-pandemic inflation … Independence isn’t a permanent entitlement; it must be earned and maintained through transparency, accountability and performance.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2025
The report comes after analysts — and some Fed officials — for months have debated whether the central bank has waited too long to cut rates, risking a slowdown.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Being the mother of seven was useful, however, when the court debated in January whether there were workable alternatives to age verification requirements for pornographic websites.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
One of the key issues being debated is an increase in player compensation.
—Jessica Golden, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
Rush and Kohnen debated some of the key concerns of the letter on a call.
—Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025
Last week, council members debated a comprehensive plan to begin charging drivers to park in Balboa Park.
—Sam Schulz, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
However, after the police murder of Floyd, some states and cities debated how and when citizens should be able to capture video of police.
—Jeff Martin, Sun Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
While some debated whether the English-language pop single was actually a K-pop song, Lisa’s comeback single and tour with BLACKPINK this year brought her back into the Korean-pop industry at least for 2025.
—Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
In recent years, critics and supporters have vigorously debated its response to post-pandemic inflation … Independence isn’t a permanent entitlement; it must be earned and maintained through transparency, accountability and performance.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2025
The report comes after analysts — and some Fed officials — for months have debated whether the central bank has waited too long to cut rates, risking a slowdown.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Being the mother of seven was useful, however, when the court debated in January whether there were workable alternatives to age verification requirements for pornographic websites.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
One of the key issues being debated is an increase in player compensation.
—Jessica Golden, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
Rush and Kohnen debated some of the key concerns of the letter on a call.
—Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025
Last week, council members debated a comprehensive plan to begin charging drivers to park in Balboa Park.
—Sam Schulz, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
However, after the police murder of Floyd, some states and cities debated how and when citizens should be able to capture video of police.
—Jeff Martin, Sun Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debated
Verb
-
Amid these non-Radiohead releases, fans have pondered Radiohead’s future, particularly after Yorke spoke to Australia’s Double J in October 2024 and addressed the speculation.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Former Philadelphia Phillies star John Kruk pondered one of life’s biggest questions during the team’s game against the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The decision also underscores the risks of vocal injury for artists performing demanding live shows night after night, a reality discussed in coverage of other recent touring cancellations.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Salazar’s face and snippets of his stand-up postgame interview were plastered across social media and any other place baseball is discussed.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That same year the Clippers and Aspiration signed deals that contemplated a $300 million partnership for Aspiration to sponsor the Clippers’ arena and the team’s jersey patch.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
5 Sep. 2025
-
According to The Athletic, Hurley contemplated leaving coaching due to exhaustion and taking roughly one year to physically and mentally recharge.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bayrou had argued that young people in France are being burdened with years of debt to accommodate boomers.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The county argued the action didn't violate First Amendment rights because the books were still available to all library users — a point Lesko, Brophy McGee and Stewart stressed for Maricopa County's action.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The plaintiffs argued the displacement was motivated by a desire to limit readers' access to books with viewpoints that are unpopular and controversial in the area.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
McLaren made a controversial decision at the Italian Grand Prix, swapping Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri's positions at the end of the race.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The couple considered renting out the storefront portion of the building while simultaneously toying with the idea of opening a business of their own.—
Erik S. Hanley,
jsonline.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Seattle coach Mike Macdonald considered going for it on fourth-and-1 from the 19-yard line but instead opted for a field goal.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While the concept of autonomous soaring has been studied before, applying it to long-distance drone flights could transform aviation.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Sep. 2025
-
In the research for his doctoral dissertation, Nelson studied Ford Motor Company’s electronics division (now Visteon) and its effort to completely overhaul the product design and delivery processes.—
Nelson P. Repenning,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Speaking on condition of anonymity, the worker described the mounting panic as agents surrounded the building and gathered up to 70 workers – many from Guatemala and Nicaragua – into the lunchroom, where the entire workforce was questioned.—
Hanna Park,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
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The establishment is also not too far from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement checkpoint, where officers questioned drivers about their legal status.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debated. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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