1
as in deliberations
a careful weighing of the reasons for or against something
after much debate, I decided to get the chocolate ice cream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in controversies
variance of opinion on a matter
there was a great deal of debate over the need for cutting costs by eliminating some programs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in discussions
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue
there was no debate over the expenditures before the vote
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in studies
to give serious and careful thought to
still debating what to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discusses
to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion
we debated the advantages versus the disadvantages of the proposed waterfront development
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of debates
ABC News,
2 July 2026
Still, Republican lawmakers in Florida and Washington have repeatedly cited Tren de Aragua as evidence of the security risks posed by weak border enforcement, making the gang a central talking point in broader immigration debates.
—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
1 July 2026
Most debates assume intelligence is fundamentally computational, that scaling models will approximate more of what human beings do and that the primary questions ahead involve productivity, regulation and ethics.
—
Pravir Malik,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
The city of Lee’s Summit has planned for some uncertainty in property tax funding levels going forward as debates over the credits continue, Dunning said.
—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
1 July 2026
But these programs — known as home- and community-based services (or HCBS) — are under growing pressure from looming federal cuts, shrinking state budgets and heated political debates.
—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
30 June 2026
But the conversations and debates happening — whether within families, in clinics, or on public platforms — should be based on facts, not judgment.
—
Michelle Sie Whitten,
STAT,
25 June 2026
CharlotteFive lands daily with the city’s food scene, openings, closings, things to do and reader debates like the one above.
—
Melissa Oyler,
Charlotte Observer,
25 June 2026
Concerns about wealth inequality have sparked heated political debates about how much billionaires should contribute.
—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
While America debates one member of Congress, millions of employees are quietly asking themselves a much more personal question.
—
Brian Castrucci,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
As Congress debates the transportation bill, Oklahoma’s future may depend on more than roads.
—
Stephen Martin,
Oklahoma Watch,
28 June 2026
As Silicon Valley debates whether AI will replace millions of office workers, one of the executives building the technology’s underlying infrastructure says Gen Z shouldn’t buy into the apocalyptic job displacement predictions.
—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
But also debates within the Labour Party, the state of the polls, the development of public opinion, and the success or otherwise of the government in generating growth by other means.
—
Anand Menon,
Time,
13 June 2026
The big story While Hollywood continues to work out how best to use AI and debates its effect on jobs, filmmakers in India — the world’s most prolific movie production industry — have taken the next step.
—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
11 June 2026
Burt Jones debates an empty podium, while Rick Jackson holds a rally in Kennesaw.
—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
2 June 2026
That time was just a fraction of the 14 hours and 41 minutes Sampson spoke during Senate debates this session — about 18% of the total time the legislative body spent in debate, according to a CT Mirror analysis that employed artificial intelligence.
—
Ginny Monk,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2026
Noun
The decisions come at a moment when long-standing debates over race and identity have turned toward immigration, increasing racial diversity and the fairness of policies meant to prevent and redress discrimination.
—
ABC News,
2 July 2026
Still, Republican lawmakers in Florida and Washington have repeatedly cited Tren de Aragua as evidence of the security risks posed by weak border enforcement, making the gang a central talking point in broader immigration debates.
—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
1 July 2026
Most debates assume intelligence is fundamentally computational, that scaling models will approximate more of what human beings do and that the primary questions ahead involve productivity, regulation and ethics.
—
Pravir Malik,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
The city of Lee’s Summit has planned for some uncertainty in property tax funding levels going forward as debates over the credits continue, Dunning said.
—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
1 July 2026
But these programs — known as home- and community-based services (or HCBS) — are under growing pressure from looming federal cuts, shrinking state budgets and heated political debates.
—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
30 June 2026
But the conversations and debates happening — whether within families, in clinics, or on public platforms — should be based on facts, not judgment.
—
Michelle Sie Whitten,
STAT,
25 June 2026
CharlotteFive lands daily with the city’s food scene, openings, closings, things to do and reader debates like the one above.
—
Melissa Oyler,
Charlotte Observer,
25 June 2026
Concerns about wealth inequality have sparked heated political debates about how much billionaires should contribute.
—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
25 June 2026
Verb
While the country debates its own past, Stan Franklin was at the memorial thinking about its future.
—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
2 July 2026
While America debates one member of Congress, millions of employees are quietly asking themselves a much more personal question.
—
Brian Castrucci,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
As Congress debates the transportation bill, Oklahoma’s future may depend on more than roads.
—
Stephen Martin,
Oklahoma Watch,
28 June 2026
As Silicon Valley debates whether AI will replace millions of office workers, one of the executives building the technology’s underlying infrastructure says Gen Z shouldn’t buy into the apocalyptic job displacement predictions.
—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
But also debates within the Labour Party, the state of the polls, the development of public opinion, and the success or otherwise of the government in generating growth by other means.
—
Anand Menon,
Time,
13 June 2026
The big story While Hollywood continues to work out how best to use AI and debates its effect on jobs, filmmakers in India — the world’s most prolific movie production industry — have taken the next step.
—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
11 June 2026
Burt Jones debates an empty podium, while Rick Jackson holds a rally in Kennesaw.
—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
2 June 2026
That time was just a fraction of the 14 hours and 41 minutes Sampson spoke during Senate debates this session — about 18% of the total time the legislative body spent in debate, according to a CT Mirror analysis that employed artificial intelligence.
—
Ginny Monk,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debates
Noun
-
Jurors began deliberations Monday afternoon in the murder trial of Dandrae Martin and Mtula Payton, the surviving defendants in Sacramento’s deadliest-ever mass shooting, in Sacramento Superior Court.
-
On Thursday The New York Times reported, citing people involved in the deliberations, that OpenAI is leaning toward holding off until next year.
Noun
-
But the Dodgers organization seems to always find itself in the middle of other off-field controversies, and last season was no exception.
-
Can Foxx remember a time when all three main wings of local government in Charlotte were dealing with such big changes and controversies?
Noun
-
Harry's decision comes amid ongoing discussions with the royal family to acquire an appropriate level of security for his family, including Meghan Markle and their two children, Princess Lilibet, 5, and Prince Archie, 7.
-
More than 70 students heard directly from Holocaust survivors and educators before participating in smaller breakout discussions.
Verb
-
Michael Tippett, a climate scientist at Columbia University who studies the ties between El Niño and weather patterns, said that on average, there is no strong link between El Niño and shifts in summer weather patterns over the US and Europe.
-
Beginning in kindergarten, children’s knowledge of numbers becomes more formal and symbol-based, according to Alice Klein, a developmental psychologist who studies early math screening and intervention.
Verb
-
This article discusses how Parent PLUS loans can become a retirement debt trap, how families should evaluate borrowing and what older borrowers can do before repayment problems become harder to fix.
-
Emma D'Arcy discusses Rhaenyra's bold move on House of the Dragon season 3's second episode.
Noun
-
Among the considerations was whether there was a fence in front of the culvert that literally stops a fish from going through.
-
Kam Jones, the 38th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, went from Indiana to Chicago in the trade along with draft assets and cash considerations.
Noun
-
According to him, advances in machine learning have yanked questions once trapped inside theological/philosophical disputations into corporate board packs.
Noun
-
The agency made the changes without the customary professional consultations, KFF has reported.
-
Indeed, among 20 nations evaluated in a recent report released by the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation dedicated to healthcare analyses, Americans are the most likely to skip medications, treatments, tests, and consultations due to costs.
Cite this Entry
“Debates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debates. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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