1
as in deliberations
a careful weighing of the reasons for or against something
after much debate, I decided to get the chocolate ice cream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in controversies
variance of opinion on a matter
there was a great deal of debate over the need for cutting costs by eliminating some programs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in discussions
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue
there was no debate over the expenditures before the vote
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in studies
to give serious and careful thought to
still debating what to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discusses
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debates
Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Heated debates are occurring about the soul of the Republican Party and the direction of the conservative movement, many of which surfaced in the days leading up to the election.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 6 Nov. 2025
Cities like Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson could lose more than 20% of their Colorado River water, triggering public debates in council chambers and municipal offices over how to respond, what to sacrifice and what to prioritize.
—Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Hoeschele recalled early debates about whether the company should really commit to such an audacious investment.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Policy debates in the United States over the utility of multilateral institutions and interdependence have been fierce for a long time, even throughout the Cold War.
—Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
The three faced off in two contentious debates in October, in which Mamdani and Cuomo sparred over issues of integrity and experience while Sliwa sought to paint them as two sides of the same ideological coin.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 5 Nov. 2025
The timing underscores how election outcomes continue to shape debates over voting access, representation, and the balance of power—particularly as Democrats move to strengthen their position through measures like California’s redistricting overhaul.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
The cognitive dissonance problem Beyond the statutory and doctrinal debates, Wednesday’s argument revealed a striking tension between the administration’s courtroom position and the president’s own rhetoric.
—James Sample, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2025
Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
And now, many financial advisors are watching as Congress debates Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies amid the government shutdown.
—Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
Hashmi, who flipped a suburban Richmond seat in 2019 to become the first Muslim woman elected to the Virginia Senate, has not committed to any lieutenant governor debates this cycle.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 16 Oct. 2025
In a third scene, the group debates what to do.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
The world often debates climate change in the language of science and economics.
—Feleti Penitala Teo, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
Al-Shaibani met with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle as Congress debates whether to repeal comprehensive sanctions on Syria, levied under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025
As the Fed debates its next move, remember that Warren Buffett isn’t trying to guess tomorrow’s stock chart.
—Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
In the second episode, which premiered on August 6, Cartman imitates Kirk with a podcast and debates college students.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
Since the advent of the transfer portal and the rise of name, image and likeness (NIL), there have been countless debates about how to create and adjust a system to establish guardrails when necessary.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Heated debates are occurring about the soul of the Republican Party and the direction of the conservative movement, many of which surfaced in the days leading up to the election.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 6 Nov. 2025
Cities like Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson could lose more than 20% of their Colorado River water, triggering public debates in council chambers and municipal offices over how to respond, what to sacrifice and what to prioritize.
—Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Hoeschele recalled early debates about whether the company should really commit to such an audacious investment.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Policy debates in the United States over the utility of multilateral institutions and interdependence have been fierce for a long time, even throughout the Cold War.
—Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
The three faced off in two contentious debates in October, in which Mamdani and Cuomo sparred over issues of integrity and experience while Sliwa sought to paint them as two sides of the same ideological coin.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 5 Nov. 2025
The timing underscores how election outcomes continue to shape debates over voting access, representation, and the balance of power—particularly as Democrats move to strengthen their position through measures like California’s redistricting overhaul.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
The cognitive dissonance problem Beyond the statutory and doctrinal debates, Wednesday’s argument revealed a striking tension between the administration’s courtroom position and the president’s own rhetoric.
—James Sample, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
Columbia University has found itself in major First Amendment debates − on and off campus.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
And now, many financial advisors are watching as Congress debates Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies amid the government shutdown.
—Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
Hashmi, who flipped a suburban Richmond seat in 2019 to become the first Muslim woman elected to the Virginia Senate, has not committed to any lieutenant governor debates this cycle.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 16 Oct. 2025
In a third scene, the group debates what to do.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 23 Sep. 2025
The world often debates climate change in the language of science and economics.
—Feleti Penitala Teo, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
Al-Shaibani met with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle as Congress debates whether to repeal comprehensive sanctions on Syria, levied under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025
As the Fed debates its next move, remember that Warren Buffett isn’t trying to guess tomorrow’s stock chart.
—Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
In the second episode, which premiered on August 6, Cartman imitates Kirk with a podcast and debates college students.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debates
Noun
-
Throughout budget deliberations, council members shared concerns about the timeline of the budget roll-out that allowed for little time to create amendments, causing clashes between the city's finance committee and the mayor's office.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The verdict comes after the jury began deliberations Wednesday afternoon in the high-profile civil case.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
National news remains fixated on controversies at elite campuses, skewing the public’s perception of the institutions that serve the majority of students.—
Yolanda Watson Spiva,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Several controversies have circled the production, including criticism from Paris Jackson.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
According to two people familiar with the discussions, earlier this year, Döpfner talked to Bari Weiss about buying her opinion site, The Free Press.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Katz, Mamdani’s campaign manager, said there were private discussions between the two.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In Galaxy Mapper, author Allie Summers and illustrator Sian James introduce readers to French astrophysicist Hélène Courtois, a working scientist who studies cosmography, or mapping the observable universe.—
Caroline Carlson,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Michael Scott Fischer, an assistant professor at the University of Miami who studies rapid intensification, told me that evidence is emerging that rates of rapid intensification are becoming more extreme and that the phenomenon is occurring more frequently.—
Sara Sneath,
The Atlantic,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
On the podcast, Michaels discusses topics centered around health and wellness with different guests, and the conversations span mental health, science, current events, relationships and work life.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Here, Ilori discusses his new mission.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
For Black women, solo travel comes with its own unique set of considerations.—
Essence,
Essence,
7 Nov. 2025
-
There are practical considerations, too.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
According to him, advances in machine learning have yanked questions once trapped inside theological/philosophical disputations into corporate board packs.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Dreamsofa, for example, offers virtual consultations and detailed design previews to help customers make confident choices.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Last week Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened security consultations with some cabinet ministers to discuss Israeli reactions.—
Dana Karni,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debates. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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