"debate on" vs "debate about"

Question

"debate on" vs "debate about"

Both 'debate on' and 'debate about' are commonly used in English, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'Debate on' is more commonly used when referring to the topic or subject of the debate, while 'debate about' is used when discussing the content or details of the debate.

Last Updated: April 01, 2024

Use 'debate on' when referring to the topic or subject of the debate. For example, 'There was a heated debate on climate change.'

Examples:

There was a debate on the new education policy.
The students had a debate on the importance of recycling.
The panelists engaged in a debate on healthcare reform.
The debate on immigration lasted for hours.
The debate on gun control was intense.

Alternatives:

discussion on
argument on
conversation on
talk on
deliberation on

Use 'debate about' when discussing the content or details of the debate. For example, 'They had a lively debate about the impact of social media.'

Examples:

There was a debate about the best way to reduce pollution.
The team had a debate about the project timeline.
The politicians engaged in a debate about tax reform.
The debate about the budget allocation continued for days.
The students had a debate about the pros and cons of technology.

Alternatives:

discussion about
argument about
conversation about
talk about
deliberation about

Answer 1

debate on

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

debate about

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"debate on" vs "debate about"

debate on

debate about

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