debriefing

present participle of debrief
as in interrogating
to officially ask (someone) about a job that has been done or about an experience Police debriefed the hostages upon their return. The pilot was debriefed after his flight.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of debriefing The final clip features Knoxville and Tremaine sitting on a motel bed, debriefing after a particularly dangerous stunt. — T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 26 June 2026 Since making their water landing, the three Americans and one Canadian who set out on the lunar journey have been busy, spending recent weeks reuniting with family, debriefing the mission and making media appearances – all while adapting to life back on Earth. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026 Apart from debriefing after the trip to the winery, this was a big episode for dates. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026 Chapman, who worked long hours debriefing Marquez over the years and shepherded his grand jury testimony, grew emotional while talking about Marquez’s qualities as a wonky engineer who could talk endlessly about the inner workings of the ComEd’s electrical grid. — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026 Health care workers may dip into depression and substance abuse, and Rau seeks to counter that by debriefing his staff after tragedies and encouraging them to reach out to one another. — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025 For Morgan, making a video at the end of the day, debriefing all aspects of the long, grueling days of recruitment, was never going to be a polished piece of content. — Tabitha Parent, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debriefing
Verb
  • At least one copy fell into the hands of the Gestapo, which was hunting for Seghers and interrogating her associates.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • It was framed around these trials that were interrogating Founding Fathers, religious belief[s], and stuff like this.
    — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The home’s dissolving interior boundary suits an artist who has spent her career questioning where humans fit within the vastness of space and time.
    — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The hiding place was disclosed by a third suspect during questioning.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The whole season is examining that question for Kate and, in a way, for all of them.
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • However, investigators were still examining the incident as of that update.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Debriefing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debriefing. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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