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
  • Jacobsen, after interrogating scientific and security experts around the world, has imagined an accident at a Siberian lab that launches a runaway outbreak.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Fort Worth house The episode opens with Kyle (Thad Luckinbill) interrogating Oleksandra (Elizaveta Neretin) about the attack at Joe’s house.
    Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The regulator is also investigating the poor performance of recent initial public offerings, according to people familiar with the matter, and questioning the advice given by investment banks to companies selling stock, Semafor reported this month.
    Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The trailer shows footage of Paul questioning Mortensen about a lip tattoo of her initials, which was detailed in her filing.
    McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Doctors examining the previously healthy teenager at a Los Angeles hospital discovered a subdural hematoma, a life-threatening injury which occurs when blood collects on the surface of the brain.
    Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The group had been examining the middle finger on Sasaki’s right hand.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Debriefing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debriefing. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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