1
as in pondering
to give serious and careful thought to
still debating what to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of debating
Prime Video’s Off Campus has fans debating which Briar boy is the ultimate boyfriend fantasy.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
But debating the legality of pot is sorely missing the point.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2026
While organizations spend months debating whether to own their AI code or lease platforms, others are finding market success by orchestrating.
—Durga Krishnamoorthy, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
The World Health Organization and expert scientists are debating whether an existing vaccine for a different species of Ebola could help.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 19 May 2026
Before the campaign’s launch, people were already debating online about how much, if any, of the burden in responding to the states’ redistricting efforts should fall on Black athletes.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 19 May 2026
Their days are spent swimming in the lake, picnicking by the beach and debating poetry and literature.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
One scene shows the crew in a garage deconstructing a surfboard and passionately debating where the fins should go.
—Antonio Ferme, Variety, 15 May 2026
The president signed an executive order on March 31 that attempts to change the rules on mail-in voting, and his allies in Congress are endeavoring to reshape elections ahead of the midterms this fall, spending weeks debating a voter-ID bill that is almost certainly doomed.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
But debating the legality of pot is sorely missing the point.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2026
While organizations spend months debating whether to own their AI code or lease platforms, others are finding market success by orchestrating.
—Durga Krishnamoorthy, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
The World Health Organization and expert scientists are debating whether an existing vaccine for a different species of Ebola could help.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 19 May 2026
Before the campaign’s launch, people were already debating online about how much, if any, of the burden in responding to the states’ redistricting efforts should fall on Black athletes.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 19 May 2026
Their days are spent swimming in the lake, picnicking by the beach and debating poetry and literature.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
One scene shows the crew in a garage deconstructing a surfboard and passionately debating where the fins should go.
—Antonio Ferme, Variety, 15 May 2026
The president signed an executive order on March 31 that attempts to change the rules on mail-in voting, and his allies in Congress are endeavoring to reshape elections ahead of the midterms this fall, spending weeks debating a voter-ID bill that is almost certainly doomed.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debating
Verb
-
By mid-November, the administration was even pondering a 40-cent-per-gallon levy, with the proceeds eventually refunded to consumers.—
Joseph Thorndike,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Would that every schoolchild could stand on the grassy knoll for a quiet minute, pondering the imponderables.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
Verb
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The text messages in 2024 between Johnson and Duffey revealed that the two men used suggestive language while discussing women colleagues.—
Hema Sivanandam,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
Orange County leadership has already begun discussing how to respond to the rise in injuries, and I am encouraged by their willingness to engage this issue with seriousness and care.—
Myron Rolle,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Introduced by Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, D-Culver City, the bill authorizes exemptions from state sales tax limits in Contra Costa and Los Angeles Counties—just as voters in both counties are contemplating increases to their local sales taxes.—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
26 May 2026
-
Even before this year, employers were contemplating whether to cover GLP-1 drugs at all or whether to stop covering them altogether.—
Bruce Japsen,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Russia warns of major Kyiv attacks The Kremlin urged foreign diplomats to leave Kyiv, warning of a major forthcoming attack, with analysts arguing that Russia is losing momentum in its war on Ukraine.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
29 May 2026
-
The men were arguing about a conflict that their children were having, the mother told the TV station.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Osaka’s tennis shone, too, in a 6-3, 7-6(3) win that felt straightforward considering Siegemund’s ability to knock opponents off rhythm with her awkward, slice-laden game and use of tennis’ dark arts.—
Ava Wallace,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
Mecum hasn’t published an auction estimate, but the vehicle seems certain to fetch top dollar considering its pedigree.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Other teams of astronomers have looked for clues about the movements of giant planets in the orbits of asteroids and other small objects, studying them like footprints to reconstruct how they might have been pushed or pulled into their current orbits by the gravity of giant planets on the move.—
Kiona N. Smith,
Space.com,
29 May 2026
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By studying past hurricanes, AI models can identify similarities with current storms and help forecasters detect important changes earlier.—
Katie Garch,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Taking a step back and questioning the way things are done can be an eye-opening experience that leads to surprising breakthroughs, especially as AI continues to bring about rapid change.—
David Henkin,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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Canadians aren’t alone in these feelings; other would-be foreign visitors have balked at the talk over the US annexing Greenland, questioning the NATO alliance, and the handling of tariffs or wars.—
Natasha Chen,
CNN Money,
25 May 2026
Verb
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Both can include entertaining younger children, organizing toys, and assisting during busy afternoons.—
VaNessa Duplessie,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Fill in the gaps when entertaining with inexpensive stools or a wooden bench sourced at a thrift shop or online.—
Jenny Hughes,
The Spruce,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debating. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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