| Main Entry: | debate |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | discussion of issues; consideration |
Synonyms: |
agitation, altercation, argument, argumentation, blah-blah, cogitation, contention, contest, controversy, controverting, deliberation, dialectic, disputation, dispute, forensic, hassle, match, meditation, mooting, polemic, rebutting, reflection, refuting, tiff, words, wrangle |
Antonyms: |
agreement |
| Main Entry: | debate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | argue, discuss |
Synonyms: |
agitate, altercate, answer, bandy, bicker, bump heads, canvass, chew the fat, cogitate, confab, confute, consider, contend, contest, controvert, cross swords, deliberate, demonstrate, differ, discept, disprove, dispute, hammer away at, hash over, hassle, have at it, kick around, knock around, lock horns, moot, oppose, pettifog, pick a bone, prove, put up argument, question, reason, rebut, refute, rehash, set to, talk back, talk game, thrash out, toss around, wrangle |
Antonyms: |
agree, go along |
| Main Entry: | agitate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disturb, trouble someone |
Synonyms: |
alarm, argue, arouse, bug up, bug*, burn up, confuse, craze*, debate, discompose, disconcert, discuss, dispute, disquiet, distract, disturb, egg on, examine, excite, ferment, flurry, fluster, get to, incite, inflame, make flip, move, perturb, psych, push buttons, rouse, ruffle, spook, stimulate, stir, trouble, turn on, unhinge, upset, ventilate, work up, worry |
Antonyms: |
calm, not bother, quiet, soothe |
| Main Entry: | argue |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | discuss |
Synonyms: |
agitate, canvass, clarify, debate, dispute, expostulate, hold, maintain, question, reason, remonstrate, talk about |
Antonyms: |
abstain, keep quiet, keep silent |
| Main Entry: | argument |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | verbal fight |
Synonyms: |
altercation, beef, bickering, blowup, bone, bone of contention, bone to pick, brannigan, brawl, brush, clash, controversy, crusher, debate, difference of opinion, disagreement, dispute, donnybrook, dustup, exchange, face-off, falling, feud, finisher, flap, fuss, gin, go*, hassle, knock down and drag out, knockdown, out, quarrel, rhubarb, romp, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, run-in, scene, scrap, set-to, shindy, spat, squabble, static*, stew, talking heads, tiff, words, wrangle |
| Main Entry: | argument |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | effort to convince; presentation of support |
Synonyms: |
argumentation, assertion, case, claim, contention, debate, defense, discussion, exchange, expostulation, grounds, line of reasoning, logic, plea, pleading, polemic, proof, questioning, reason, reasoning, remonstrance, remonstration |
| Main Entry: | attention |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | concentration |
Synonyms: |
absorption, application, assiduity, consideration, contemplation, debate, deliberation, diligence, engrossment, heed, heedfulness, immersion, industry, intentness, mind, scrutiny, study, thinking, thought, thoughtfulness |
Antonyms: |
disregard, ignorance, neglect, negligence |
| Main Entry: | battle |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | struggle |
Synonyms: |
agitation, campaign, clash, conflict, contest, controversy, crusade, debate, disagreement, dispute, strife |
| Main Entry: | canvass |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | poll; discuss issues |
Synonyms: |
agitate, analyze, apply, argue, campaign, check, check over, consult, debate, dispute, electioneer, examine, inspect, investigate, review, run, scan, scrutinize, sift, solicit, study, survey, ventilate |
| Notes: | canvas is the noun (fabric etc.) and canvass is generally a verb (to solicit, question) - though a canvass can be an examination of pros and cons |
| Main Entry: | cause célèbre |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | controversial issue |
Synonyms: |
bone of contention, celebrated case, controversy, debate, grist for the gossip mill, hot potato, moot point, political football, scandal, war of words |