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.
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Recent Examples of debutante
For example, proud debutante parents Bassett and Vance could be seen dancing together in their black-tie attire in a a TikTok shared after the ultra-exclusive event.
—
Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
The young debutante wore a blush pink Schiaparelli Haute Couture with matching gloves.
—Pamela Avila, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025
Even at some of the dressiest Mardi Gras balls in the city, you’re guaranteed to find debutantes and knights alike gathered around a table full of Foosackly’s.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 23 Nov. 2025
An adaptation of an Australian stage play of the same name, Wilson’s directorial debut follows a city girl who moves to the outback and helps her cousin become a debutante.
—Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debutante
Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
The young debutante wore a blush pink Schiaparelli Haute Couture with matching gloves.
—Pamela Avila, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025
Even at some of the dressiest Mardi Gras balls in the city, you’re guaranteed to find debutantes and knights alike gathered around a table full of Foosackly’s.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 23 Nov. 2025
An adaptation of an Australian stage play of the same name, Wilson’s directorial debut follows a city girl who moves to the outback and helps her cousin become a debutante.
—Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debutante
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debutante
Noun
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In the Bridgerton version, the maid meets her prince (well, her rich guy) at a masked ball, and having only her lower face visible presented a unique challenge to the show’s makeup designer, Nic Collins.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
27 Jan. 2026
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This led organically to feelings of love for one’s Black nannies and friendship with the children of your Black live-in maids, but this warmth had to be suppressed.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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At first glance, Amelia, with her purple bob and pixie-girl looks, seems an unlikely candidate for the far right to adopt as an increasingly popular meme.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
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De Araújo lived through a similar trauma and skillfully maps the chasm between parents who want to protect their kid’s innocence and a girl who needs answers.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Opt for extra virgin avocado oil whenever possible.—
Amy Brownstein,
Verywell Health,
28 Jan. 2026
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The maturation protocol reflects a cask combination of American virgin oak, ex-bourbon, Spanish Oloroso, PX, and Portuguese red wine casks, designed to add layered, nuanced complexity to a whisky peated at 54 PPM.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
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So, for the next few months, award show contenders, winners, and Hollywood ingenues will have the spotlight on them.—
Katherine Singh,
Refinery29,
12 Jan. 2026
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Seen on the likes of Pamela Anderson, Ariana Grande, and most recently, Vera Wang, the micro bang was first popularized in the 1950s by film ingenues like Audrey Hepburn.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But who is this enigmatic maiden concealed behind a mask and uncharacteristically nervous about the ball?—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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The Chargers have been impressive in their D-1 maiden voyage, winning seven games (three over D-1 schools) and posting a 2-2 mark so far in the NEC.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
2 Dec. 2025
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The viral video showed Martin, dressed in custom blue Valentino, in a moment with another deb, French countess Aliénor Loppin de Montmort.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
18 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Debutante.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debutante. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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