as in maid
a young upper-class woman who has begun going to special parties where she will meet and be seen by other people from the upper class
The invitation-only event is a prized ticket for the city's debutantes.
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 debutante
At balls that approximate what Bridgerton might be like if the charming debutantes were matched with white-haired monsters instead of handsome, age-appropriate nobles, Commanders spike their prospective Wives’ drinks.
—
Judy Berman,
Time,
8 Apr. 2026
But, by the beginning of the Gilded Age in America in the 1870s, the sartorial code became the upper class’s go-to for the opera, debutante balls, and any of the fancy-dress parties thrown by socialites of the day.
—
Vogue,
27 Mar. 2026
Portugal vs Uzbekistan Portugal's second match in Houston will be against debutante Uzbekistan.
—
Peter Warren,
Houston Chronicle,
3 Mar. 2026
The building was popular with debutantes.
—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debutante
Judy Berman,
Time,
8 Apr. 2026
But, by the beginning of the Gilded Age in America in the 1870s, the sartorial code became the upper class’s go-to for the opera, debutante balls, and any of the fancy-dress parties thrown by socialites of the day.
—
Vogue,
27 Mar. 2026
Portugal vs Uzbekistan Portugal's second match in Houston will be against debutante Uzbekistan.
—
Peter Warren,
Houston Chronicle,
3 Mar. 2026
The building was popular with debutantes.
—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debutante
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debutante
Noun
-
The late Taylor Bradford’s book details the decades-long story of Emma Harte, a Yorkshire maid who becomes a business mogul.
-
In another, a Pullman maid is bent over, hard at work, with her hair swept back into a ponytail, her gaze pointed downward and focused on the task at hand.
Noun
-
One girl, identified only as SH, was about 14 years old when Vander Meer allegedly began grooming her with gifts, special attention and knee touches and hugs in 2002.
-
The two girls, who were both 17, were taken to local hospitals, where they were pronounced dead a short time later.
Noun
-
Keep the punch virgin, or add a tablespoon of vodka, gin, or bourbon to each glass.
-
But although swapping virgin inputs for recycled material is often framed as a silver bullet, such alternatives come with their own environmental and logistical trade-offs.
Noun
-
Our best ingenues would queue to star as Dora and Nora.
-
At one point, the Phantom and Christine, the ingenue and the object of his obsession, glide toward you in a gondola, crossing an underground lake.
Noun
-
Joe Root, Jofra Archer, Matthew Fisher and Josh Tongue were dismissed in two double-wicket maidens by Henry.
-
Across two stints, Magnussen made 185 starts in Formula One and raced for McLaren, Renault and Haas, recording a career-best runner-up finish in the 2014 Australian Grand Prix — his maiden start in F1.
Noun
-
Kemper and her older sister (far left) posed with another deb dressed in pink, Reagan Sacks (far right), who brought some drama to the blush color in a tulle Schiaparelli gown.
-
The viral video showed Martin, dressed in custom blue Valentino, in a moment with another deb, French countess Aliénor Loppin de Montmort.
Cite this Entry
“Debutante.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debutante. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
