as in interrogates
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.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of debriefs
After the little girl’s exam, Welsh debriefs with the attending physician in the hall.
—
Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Editor Joyce Eng discuss the new name for the SAG Awards, the Actor Awards, and Gerrad debriefs on the Governors Awards.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025
Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Editor Joyce Eng discuss the new name for the SAG Awards, the Actor Awards, and Gerrad debriefs on the Governors Awards.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debriefs
Verb
-
Barragán originally set out to find the man who scammed his mother by posing as a handsome American soldier, but now interrogates four of these young men, illuminating their psychological tactics, economic hardships and moral dilemmas.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
-
Advent has effectively digitized its own intellectual history — its wins, its misses, its assumptions — and turned it into a live analytical layer that interrogates every new deal that comes before the committee.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Investor scrutiny grows as authorities investigate The report also questions Donut Lab’s public statements about its vehicle-making efforts.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
9 June 2026
-
The case collides with President Javier Milei’s culture war, as his government dismantles gender-equality programs and questions femicide laws, while rights groups and families flood the streets demanding protection and justice.—
Isabel Debre,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Originally from Long Island, New York, and shaped by 20 years in southern Arizona, her work examines the intersection of wild landscapes, small-town culture, and the spirit of adventure.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
The service convenes a group of officers, called a promotion board, that examines the records of eligible officers and chooses those deemed to be the most qualified.—
Konstantin Toropin,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debriefs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debriefs. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
