ADJ
- considerable
- fierce, heated, intense, lively, vigorous
- There has been heated debate about whether the film should be allowed
- wider
- You cannot separate unemployment from the wider debate about the economy
- public
- Television actually encourages public debate about such issues
- political
VERB + DEBATE
- have
- contribute to
- Many leading charities have contributed to the debate on world poverty
- encourage, promote
- A healthy society promotes vigorous debate
- spark off
- This accident has sparked off an intense debate on road safety
- stifle
- He accused the government of trying to stifle debate
- lose, win
- The environmentalists seem to have lost the debate over the building of this road
- be a matter for, be open to
- The benefits of the new law are open to debate
DEBATE + VERB
- rage, take place
- A debate about safety is taking place in schools everywhere
PREP
- under ~
- The issue is still under debate
- ~ about/on/over
- the debate on the environment
- ~ among
- the debate among academics
- ~ surrounding
- the debate surrounding contemporary art
PHRASES
- the subject of debate
- The proposed changes to the law have been the subject of much debate
ADJ
- brief
- lengthy, long
- acrimonious, fierce, heated, lively, stormy
- a stormy debate in the House of Commons
- congressional, parliamentary
- a parliamentary debate on the fishing industry
VERB + DEBATE
- have, hold
- We had a brief debate about whether or not to accept the offer. The union holds debates for students
- participate in, speak in, take part in
- Do you ever speak in debates?
- open
- The prime minister will open the debate
- close
- lose, win
- The government lost the debate in the House of Commons
PREP
- during/in a/the~
- ~ about/on
- Many of these points were raised during the debate on prison reform