Debatable

/dɪˈbeɪtəbəl/

adjectiveIntermediateCommonGeneral

Definitions

1

Open to discussion or argument; not definitely established or settled.

/dɪˈbeɪtəbəl/

adjectiveneutralIntermediate
General

The effectiveness of the new marketing campaign is debatable.

💡 Simply: When something is debatable, it means people don't all agree on it. Like, is it better to have pizza or burgers for dinner? It's debatable!

👶 For kids: Something is debatable when people can talk about it and not all agree. Like, if cats or dogs are better pets.

More Examples

2

The benefits of this treatment are still debatable.

3

Whether aliens exist is a debatable question.

4

His claim is debatable, as there's no concrete proof.

How It's Used

General

"The impact of social media on society is a debatable topic."

Politics

"Whether the new tax policy will stimulate the economy is highly debatable."

From Old French *debatre* (to debate) + -able (suffix forming adjectives). Related to the verb 'debate'.

The word 'debatable' began to appear in written English in the late 14th century, reflecting the growing importance of legal and political discussions.

Memory tip

Imagine a courtroom where lawyers are arguing over a point – that point is debatable.

debatible

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written