Synonyms of debating

debating

verb

present participle of debate

1

as in pondering

to give serious and careful thought to

still debating what to do

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pondering
• contemplating
• considering
• studying
• questioning
• entertaining
• weighing
• exploring
• reviewing
• eyeing
• analyzing
• deliberating
• ruminating
• cogitating
• thinking (about or over)
• looking at
• meditating
• revolving
• mulling (over)
• wrestling (with)
• chewing on
• turning
• poring (over)
• digesting
• chewing over
• perpending
• reasoning
• kicking around
• reminiscing
• reflecting (on or upon)
• beating one's brains out (about)
• believing
• concluding
• opining
• cudgeling one's brains (about)
• musing (upon)
• speculating (about)
• dwelling (on or upon)
• second-guessing
• absorbing
• fixating (on or upon)
• conceiving
• obsessing (about or over)
• brooding (about or over)
• fretting (about or over)
• assimilating
• drinking (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignoring
• disregarding
• overlooking
• dismissing
• rejecting
• slighting
• pooh-poohing

2

as in discussing

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

• discussing
• arguing
• reviewing
• disputing
• canvassing
• agitating
• talking over
• bandying
• considering
• raising
• batting (around or back and forth)
• mooting
• speaking (about)
• talking (about)
• hashing (over or out)
• introducing
• weighing
• deliberating
• propounding
• stirring up
• broaching
• forging
• wrestling (with)
• talking out
• hammering out
• thrashing (out)
• chewing over

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of debating

Supporters are circulating clips of Ossoff’s speeches, debating his prospects against other potential 2028 Democratic contenders and increasingly comparing his trajectory with Obama’s rapid rise from the Senate to the White House. — Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026

Opportunities are delayed because organizations are debating whose numbers are correct rather than deciding what actions to take. — Ashraf Altawashi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

DiJonai took Sophie Cunningham’s head off, and the broadcasters were debating whether it would be elevated to a Flagrant 2. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026

But now, the internet is debating the album, with some people accusing Blanco of cultural appropriation. — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2026

Two states, Massachusetts and Idaho, will vote on ballot initiatives regarding legalization, and in several others, including Kansas and Iowa, gubernatorial candidates are debating cannabis matters. — Bob Woods, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026

America is debating budgets, taxes, deficits and spending priorities. — Drema Hymon, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026

Instead of debating every receipt, ask whether the cost benefited everyone—or only the people who chose to participate. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 14 Aug. 2026

For now, however, police decided to stop using the Flock system as lawmakers, courts and law enforcement agencies continued debating the privacy and legal issues surrounding increasingly powerful surveillance and artificial intelligence technology. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026