debatable

adjective

de·​bat·​able di-ˈbā-tə-bəl How to pronounce debatable (audio)
dē-
Synonyms of debatablenext
1
: claimed by more than one country
debatable border territory
2
a
: open to dispute : questionable
the debatable wisdom of his advice
b
: open to debate
3
: capable of being debated
debatably
di-ˈbā-tə-blē How to pronounce debatable (audio)
dē-
adverb

Synonyms of debatable

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Examples of debatable in a Sentence

it's always debatable which college football team is really number one, since there's more than one ranking system the debatable wisdom of going back for another helping from the buffet
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Questionable scientific claims An expert flagged confidently stated claims that were at best debatable. — Benjamin Skuse, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Oct. 2026 Whether a 7-inch display is really the ideal way to watch TV is debatable, but for recipes, video calls and background entertainment, the format makes sense. — New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026 While the advantages of retinoids like retinol—firmer, clearer, and brighter skin—are essentially fact at this point, what constitutes the best retinoid is a bit more debatable. — Deanna Pai, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026 Still admittedly a debatable pick; shaky taking Titans against anybody. — Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for debatable

Word History

First Known Use

1536, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of debatable was in 1536

Rhymes for debatable

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Browse Nearby Words

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debatable
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Cite this Entry

“Debatable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debatable. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

debatable

adjective
de·​bat·​able di-ˈbāt-ə-bəl How to pronounce debatable (audio)
: open to question or dispute
a debatable decision
debatably
-blē How to pronounce debatable (audio)
adverb
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