debrief

as in to interrogate
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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 debrief On the March 20 episode of The Kardashians, Kendall debriefed Kylie Jenner on the tense and emotional reunion Khloé, 40, had with her ex-husband Lamar Odom. Julia Moore, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025 Yet as the team is debriefing their patient’s heartbreaking death, they’re interrupted by a fight between two mothers in the waiting room. Ashley Boucher, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025 This time, McKinnon, Woody Harrelson, and Pascal were debriefed about their abduction by US Space Force officers played by Aidy Bryant and Jon Hamm. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 17 Feb. 2025 Bobby Moynihan and Bryant play government officials debriefing the three citizens, but a troubling pattern soon emerges in their answers. Erin Strecker, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for debrief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debrief
Verb
  • Bong, the country’s most beloved movie figure, and allies laid down the gauntlet with their public pressure campaign: the forces that had made the lives of public entertainers so perilous needed to be exposed and interrogated, and the human rights of artists urgently required greater protection.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
  • Scenes of Gustav and Rachel feeling their way through his script, interrogating the characters’ motivations in rehearsal, encourage audiences to pose the same questions about the surrounding film.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • Inside the car were three people identified as Yasmin Cobb, 18, Josiah Sneed, 21 and Clifton Ray Foster Jr., 25, who all have Texas addresses listed on their arrest reports All three were detained and taken to the HSI office for questioning.
    Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
  • On Tuesday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that COVID-19 shots are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women — a move immediately questioned by several public health experts.
    Carla K. Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Also, take some time to examine the perimeter of your yard to ensure any gates and fences are secure and don’t have any gaps through which your pup can easily escape.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • The other top challenge for companies is light, which includes examining the lights' color-rendering index and prioritizing low flickering and warm colors.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 22 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Debrief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debrief. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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