as in interrogating
to officially ask (someone) about a job that has been done or about an experience
Police debriefed the hostages upon their return. The pilot was debriefed after his flight.
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Recent Examples of debriefing
Health care workers may dip into depression and substance abuse, and Rau seeks to counter that by debriefing his staff after tragedies and encouraging them to reach out to one another.
—
Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, Charlotte’s husband is debriefing with Shaw, while obviously fudging the details of Pauly’s death.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
For Morgan, making a video at the end of the day, debriefing all aspects of the long, grueling days of recruitment, was never going to be a polished piece of content.
—Tabitha Parent, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, Charlotte’s husband is debriefing with Shaw, while obviously fudging the details of Pauly’s death.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
For Morgan, making a video at the end of the day, debriefing all aspects of the long, grueling days of recruitment, was never going to be a polished piece of content.
—Tabitha Parent, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debriefing
Verb
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Obsessed with this Russian Jewish queen interrogating Robby about his single status.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2026
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Jones was especially struck by reports of ICE detaining and interrogating children on their way to and from school.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The incident heightened national attention on aviation safety in 2025, with many people questioning whether flying was safe.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
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Online posts questioning the city’s account continued into the week, and protesters have kept returning to the Hyatt, banging pots and chanting in subfreezing temperatures.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The study was helmed by a group of German scientists examining the effects of ocean acidity.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
26 Jan. 2026
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Future studies will focus on improving the model, testing the system in larger groups and examining how real-time physiological data can inform care outside the clinic.—
Mayo Clinic News Network,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debriefing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debriefing. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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