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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Example Sentences
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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
-
EBay’s board is now pondering GameStop’s offer.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
The sequence left us pondering our pet cats and, for good measure, our worst selves.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Consumers have more fragrance information at their disposal today via platforms like TikTok and Reddit, where creators and users as young as pre-teens are discussing concepts that would have only been spoken about among enthusiasts in the past.—
Sarah Jones,
Footwear News,
22 May 2026
-
Bass has mostly avoided discussing him and taking him seriously, despite his performance in the polls and his ability to garner high-profile supporters like Haim Saban, Brian Grazer and Nicole Avant.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Anyone contemplating suicide or struggling with their mental health should call 9-8-8, the state’s crisis center consortium.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 May 2026
-
As the post-war period quickly gave way to the Cold War, every major power began contemplating what the next evolution in the tank would be.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
In a letter to Knudsen, the Mid-North Association also directly opposed the athletic lighting plan, arguing that field lights do not belong in a residential neighborhood and would disturb community members’ lives, including by increasing traffic in the area.—
Kate Perez,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
-
Trump spent months criticizing Warsh’s predecessor, Jerome Powell, for being reluctant to cut interests rates, with the Republican president arguing that lower borrowing costs would provide an economic boost.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Powering the phone is a MediaTek Helio G99—this is a bit underpowered, even at this price point, but considering this is not meant to be a main phone, the silicon is serviceable.—
Ben Sin,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
That didn’t sit well with many people, considering the havoc caused by the crash.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Grant, of the Urban League, said the ordinance is the result of months of organizing, studying the issue and consulting with city officials and health advocates.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
-
Ali Costellow is a rising senior studying visual journalism/photography and journalism at Western Kentucky University.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
And the two are treated differently, with Dorothy and other characters repeatedly questioning whether Tik-Tok is, in fact, alive.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
19 May 2026
-
Wanted for questioning, Watts later surrendered to authorities on an outstanding federal arrest warrant.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Past the violin was an oil painting of the child Mozart entertaining nobles at the Maison du Temple.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The kitchen, situated on the main floor, is a particular standout, showcasing a massive island topped with Viola marble and a full suite of Gaggenau and La Cornue appliances, including multiple ovens that will come in handy for entertaining large groups.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debating. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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