as in defendants
a person who takes part in a dispute
the debater was unable to come up with a convincing rebuttal for his opponent's argument
Synonyms & Similar 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 debaters
Habitual debaters often blur these distinctions.
—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
High school debaters are much more polite and reasonable, even compared to presidential candidates, the group’s president, Walt Breitinger, observed.
—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Judging simply by the crowd’s response, the debaters arguing that CSOs remain relevant won handily.
—
Justin Worland,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
Dylan Black, a SDA freshman who took the pilot course this year, said the class allowed students to learn more about each other and also become better debaters and thinkers.
—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
The fraud debaters offer many preferred litmus tests.
—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Dec. 2025
The college boys would gather around a charpoy set in front of the food stall, playing for cups of tea or plates of biscuits, contemplating the next move with the seriousness of parliamentary debaters, discussing strategy.
—
Daniyal Mueenuddin,
New Yorker,
23 Nov. 2025
Her debaters warned of a slippery slope.
—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
29 Oct. 2025
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
High school debaters are much more polite and reasonable, even compared to presidential candidates, the group’s president, Walt Breitinger, observed.
—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Judging simply by the crowd’s response, the debaters arguing that CSOs remain relevant won handily.
—
Justin Worland,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
Dylan Black, a SDA freshman who took the pilot course this year, said the class allowed students to learn more about each other and also become better debaters and thinkers.
—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
The fraud debaters offer many preferred litmus tests.
—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Dec. 2025
The college boys would gather around a charpoy set in front of the food stall, playing for cups of tea or plates of biscuits, contemplating the next move with the seriousness of parliamentary debaters, discussing strategy.
—
Daniyal Mueenuddin,
New Yorker,
23 Nov. 2025
Her debaters warned of a slippery slope.
—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debaters
Noun
-
His girlfriend, Syanna Ruiz, held their child in court, demanding the defendants remain behind bars.
-
In court documents, O’Hara alleged the defendants violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights, accusing them of unlawfully restricting free speech and initiating an unlawful seizure while using excessive force.
Noun
-
In April, after another trial, a jury in Chicago ordered Abbott to pay four plaintiffs a total of $70 million.
-
The upshot is that plaintiffs can’t sue the biotech company for not putting a cancer warning on the label of Roundup, the popular weed killer.
Noun
-
The other fighters and coaches celebrate his successes, said the gym owner, Roger Krahl.
-
Just like the innovative application of Ukrainian UAVs, the western fourth generation F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighters are a capability far exceeding traditional Soviet airborne artillery doctrine.
Noun
-
Last year, contestants Cierra Ortega and Yulissa Escobar were dismissed from the show for their use of racist slurs.
-
In last year’s Season 7, two contestants, Yulissa Escobar and Cierra Ortega, were also caught using racial slurs and had to exit the Villa.
Noun
-
For some longtime advocates, the fear is more than just existential.
-
The ruling was a setback for gun control advocates that had argued the measures were necessary for public safety in places like shopping malls, bars, restaurants, theaters, farms, arenas and private beaches.
Noun
-
The episodes saw 12 brawlers face off in teams led by Flay, Maneet Chauhan and Antonia Lofaso, aiming to win over judges Williamson, Carson Kressley and Rodney Scott.
-
Displacing the ’90s boom bap and aughts brawlers of her last album is a streak of assiduous ’80s R&B exercises that foreground her gains as a vocalist more often than her gobstopping wordplay as a rapper.
Cite this Entry
“Debaters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debaters. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
