debated 1 of 2

debated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of debate

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 debated
Adjective
In any case, the moment quickly became one of the most debated events in rock history. — Kara Rogers Britannica Editors July 16, Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 July 2026 The most debated issue this week is over AI data centers, with every candidate trying to position themselves as the most against them. — Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 Now this may be my most controversial and debated stance about Pride Nights and the LGBTQ movement. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026 Ahead of the 2026 Met Gala, here's a look back at the iconic event's most daring — and most debated — style moments. — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026 The most controversial and debated article on Mint Press News is about the use of chemical agents in the Syrian civil war. — Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026 The trade, approved under new team governor Patrick Dumont, has remained one of the most debated moves in recent NBA history, according to sports analysts, with lingering questions about communication within the organization and the long-term direction of the franchise. — Sergio Candido, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026 The referendum centers on long debated reforms aimed at reshaping the structure of Italy’s judiciary. — ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026 Safety aspects of autonomous vehicles remain debated, but industry groups claim the technology could reduce road fatalities by removing human error from driving. — Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
Egyptologists have long debated whether the earliest pharaohs of the First Dynasty were buried with various servants and officials to serve them in the afterlife—a form of human sacrifice. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026 As in the thriller, anxious local leaders debated whether publicizing the peril would scare off tourists. — Bob Drogin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Democrat Xavier Becerra debated Republican Steve Hilton on Wednesday night at CNN’s studio in Burbank, outside Los Angeles. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026 Both sides have also debated whether the changes would apply to data centers, as critics claim. — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026 As Haitians debated the end of Moïse’s term, the electoral timetable required for the first Senate elections to be held in October 2017, eight months after Moïse’s swearing in. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026 While big tech broke the rules and Congress endlessly debated what to do, parents, teachers and kids were left to handle the fallout. — Matt Post, Baltimore Sun, 1 Oct. 2026 Swiss neutrality has been enshrined in the constitution since the mid-19th century, but its meaning has been debated for years. — Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026 The state’s practice of charging prisoners was debated by the state legislature. — Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debated
Adjective
  • The protests follow a disputed election and government crackdown that drove Machado and other opposition leaders into hiding.
    — Clyburn Saint John, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
  • In one of the latest incidents, the Philippine military in July accused China's coast guard of injuring a Filipino sailor at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • It might be pondered, for example, by people who love pets, consider the ethics of eating meat, or worry about the biosphere.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Sep. 2026
  • For more than a year, industry stakeholders in Georgia and the rest of the country have pondered how public policy could help jolt the film industry in the United States.
    — Savannah Sicurella, AJC.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Cohn wrote about music for only a handful of years, but he is considered one of the original rock critics, and he is discussed primarily in that context and, of course, as the man behind Saturday Night Fever.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone was in a good mood, if a little nervous about what was going to be discussed.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Much of that flood of silicon is going to the data centers that are popping up all over and are increasingly controversial as AI prepares to remake the economy, work, life and thought.
    — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Now those tensions threaten to ignite once more following a provocative celebration by one of Haiti’s star players as his controversial remarks and the fallout inject fresh friction into the relationship.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Other incentives contemplated include a special 1% sales tax district in the project area and sales tax breaks on construction materials, city documents show.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Batavia city documents suggest this is not the first time a gate at the city boundary has been contemplated, though the city has at various points expressed its preference for having no gates at all and allowing traffic to flow in both directions.
    — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But Russell argued that state lawsuits can address damage in Colorado, regardless of where the fossil fuels are produced.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Ricketts has argued that he’s best suited to keep delivering for Nebraska and that his opponent is secretly a Democrat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Moore, who is seeking reelection, is considered a potential presidential candidate in 2028.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The fathers of the three friends, who are under 21 and considered minors under Mississippi law, filed the federal lawsuit Monday on their behalf.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The actor was in and out of colleges but studied acting and grew fond of Shakespeare, according to People.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Born in New Jersey on the Fourth of July in 1924, Saint studied acting in college, initially working in television and on the stage before landing her first film role in the 1954 classic On the Waterfront opposite Marlon Brando.
    — Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Debated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debated. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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