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.
Still, Fazio’s claim that the budget caps are effectively nullified is debatable, at best. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026 When penalty calls or red cards remain debatable, people can become frustrated. — Pooya Tabesh, The Conversation, 30 July 2026 For now, the Purdy-Jones fit could be the NFL’s best quarterback pairing, debatable with Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Joe Flacco. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 16 July 2026 Some decisions have been debatable, England rarely looked fluent, but Tuchel is a good manager, has embraced the unique challenges of the England job, and there will arguably be no better coach available to lead the team into Euro 2028. — The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 16 July 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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Cite this Entry

“Debatable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debatable. Accessed 5 Aug. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on debatable

Nglish: Translation of debatable for Spanish Speakers

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