adj Uncommon

debatable

dih-BAY-tuh-buh

Debatable (adj) means not clearly settled — open to argument or doubt. Example: “Whether the referee's decision was fair is highly debatable.”

adj

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 notes

In plain EnglishSomething people could reasonably argue about either way.

Common pairings

highly debatable a debatable point it's debatable whether

more debatable comparative, debatables plural, most debatable superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Can you complete this real example?

Whether the referee's decision was fair is highly _____.

From Old French debatable, built from "debate" + the suffix "-able."

Origin: Old French

able fable cable table viable liable stable tenable parable affable amiable notable

What does “debatable” mean?

The word “debatable” means not clearly settled — open to argument or doubt. In plain terms, something people could reasonably argue about either way.

How do you pronounce “debatable”?

“Debatable” is pronounced dih-BAY-tuh-buh ([dɪˈbeɪtəbəɫ] in IPA).

How do you use “debatable” in a sentence?

Here is “debatable” used in a sentence: “Whether the referee's decision was fair is highly debatable.”

What part of speech is “debatable”?

“Debatable” is an adjective.

Where does the word “debatable” come from?

The word “debatable” comes from Old French. From Old French debatable, built from "debate" + the suffix "-able.".

Is “debatable” a common word?

“Debatable” is an uncommon word in modern English.