adj
debatable
dih-BAY-tuh-buh
adj
1
Not clearly settled — open to argument or doubt.
"Whether the referee's decision was fair is highly debatable."
"It's debatable whether the new policy actually saved any money."
How to Use Debatable
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething people could reasonably argue about either way.
Common pairings
highly debatable
a debatable point
it's debatable whether
Word Forms
more debatable comparative, debatables plural, most debatable superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “debatable”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Whether the referee's decision was fair is highly _____.
Etymology
From Old French debatable, built from "debate" + the suffix "-able."