debut

1 of 2

noun

de·​but ˈdā-ˌbyü How to pronounce debut (audio)
dā-ˈbyü
variants or less commonly début
Synonyms of debut
1
: a first appearance
made her singing debut
the writer's debut novel
2
: a formal entrance into society
in honor of their daughter's debut

debut

2 of 2

verb

debuted; debuting; debuts

intransitive verb

: to make a first appearance or a formal entrance into society : to make a debut

transitive verb

: to present to the public for the first time : introduce
debut a new product

Examples of debut in a Sentence

Noun my debut as a pianist He made his singing debut at a very young age. She is making her television debut. Verb The singer debuted 10 years ago, at the age of 15. The car debuted 30 years ago. The computer will soon be debuting in stores across the country. The network debuts a new sitcom tonight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Melissa Albert, The Children This debut adult novel by long-time YA author Melissa Albert had me in its clutches from the first page. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 Today, Gibney is making small tweaks to finish the film in time for screenings at the Venice and Toronto film festivals in September (three hours, 45 minutes), a wide theatrical release in October (ditto) and an HBO debut in 2027 (four hours). — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
This led to Parton soaring on the charts, with two of her beloved 1974 hits debuting in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. — Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 But now the actor has debuted a striking new shade of brown, just in time for fall’s darker hours. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for debut

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

French début, from débuter to begin, from Middle French desbuter to play first, from des- de- + but starting point, goal — more at butt entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1830, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of debut was in 1751

Rhymes for debut

See All Rhymes for debut

Browse Nearby Words

Debussy
debut
debutanization
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Debut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debut. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

debut

1 of 2 noun
de·​but ˈdā-ˌbyü How to pronounce debut (audio) dā-ˈbyü How to pronounce debut (audio)
1
: a first public appearance
my debut as a pianist
2
: a formal entrance into society

debut

2 of 2 verb
1
: to make a debut
2
: to present to society for the first time
debut a new product

More from Merriam-Webster on debut

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for debut

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