Definitions
01formal discussion
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law Formal · Academic
n. a formal meeting where people discuss a subject and express different opinions, often before a vote.
n. a formal discussion on a particular matter in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward.
“The students held a lively debate about whether uniforms should be mandatory.”
“The parliamentary debate regarding the new environmental regulations lasted for three days before a final vote was called.”
Usage
Often used with the prepositions 'on', 'about', or 'over'.
Synonyms
02general disagreement
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a general situation where people have different ideas or arguments about something.
n. the state of having opposing views or a lack of consensus on a specific issue within a community or society.
“There is a lot of debate about the best way to learn a language.”
“The scientific community is currently engaged in a heated debate over the long-term effects of the new treatment.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03to argue formally
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
v. to discuss a subject formally by offering different ideas and reasons.
v. to argue about a subject, especially in a formal manner or within a public context.
“Politicians will debate the new tax laws on television tonight.”
“The council members debated the proposal for hours, yet they failed to reach a compromise by the end of the session.”
Usage
Can be used transitively with the topic as the object, or intransitively.
Antonyms
04to consider options
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to think carefully about different choices before making a decision.
v. to deliberate or consider various options or arguments within one's own mind.
“I am debating whether to go to the party or stay home and rest.”
“She spent the entire weekend debating the merits of the job offer before finally deciding to accept the position.”
Usage
Commonly followed by 'whether' or a gerund.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “debate” in context.
Adjective
01. considerable debate
“There has been considerable debate regarding the proposed changes to the tax system.”
adj + noun
02. current debate
“The current debate over renewable energy is crucial for our future environmental policy.”
adj + noun
03. ongoing debate
“The origin of these ancient artifacts is still a subject of ongoing debate among historians.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“Debate about the LCA hinges in part on the tree-dwelling environment from which humans emerged—whether it involved living among high horizontal branches, being able to reach them from the ground or, more likely, both.” “Debate and voting could continue as late as 10pm.” “I’m not here to debate that opinion, because the people seeking my advice generally share it.” Etymology
From Middle English debaten, from Old French debatre (“to fight, contend, debate, also literally to beat down”), from Romanic desbattere, from Latin dis- (“apart, in different directions”) + battuō (“to beat, to fence”).
From Middle English debat, borrowed from Old French debat, deverbal of debatre, see Etymology 1 for more.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
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englishreference.com/q/debate
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0