debug

debug — verb

IPA/ˌdiːˈbʌɡ/
KK[dibˈʌɡ]IPA/ˌdiːˈbʌɡ/
  • debugpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • debugs3rd person singular
  • debugging-ing form
  • debuggedpast simple

1. to find and remove mistakes or faults in the code of computer programs or softwa

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to find and remove mistakes or faults in the code of computer programs or software so that everything runs correctly

Example

Anjali spent the whole morning debugging the new mobile app.

debug + [product: app / software / system]

The developers debugged the login feature after users reported crashes.

Common collocations
  • debug + [app / software / code / script / feature / system]
  • debug + [methodically / line by line / step by step]
  • spend [time] debugging
  • need to debug
Synonyms
  • fix

    General word for repairing any problem; less specific to code

  • troubleshoot

    More formal; focuses on identifying the source of a problem

  • correct

    Suggests making something right rather than removing faults

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

debug + [computer program / code / system]

Usage Note

Almost always used in computing contexts. The object is typically a program, code, system, or specific feature — not a person.

Common Mistakes

I need to debug the error.
I need to debug the code that has errors.
'debug' takes the program or code as object, not the error itself.
I debugged him about the problem.
I debugged the software for him.
'debug' is not used with a person as object.

2. to search a room, building, or vehicle for hidden microphones or recording equip

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to search a room, building, or vehicle for hidden microphones or recording equipment and remove them

Example

The security team debugged the conference room before the trade talks.

debug + [place: room / area for security sweep]

Diego was hired to debug the CEO's office after the merger rumours.

Common collocations
  • debug + [room / office / embassy / vehicle / jet]
  • debug + [regularly / before a meeting]
Synonyms
  • sweep

    More common in security; 'sweep the room for bugs'

  • clear

    General term for making a space secure; less technical

Antonyms
  • bug

    To install hidden listening devices in a place

Grammar Patterns

debug + [place: room / building / vehicle]

Usage Note

Much less common than the computing sense. Typically used in espionage, journalism, or corporate security contexts. Learners may encounter it in films and novels.

debug — noun

IPA/ˈdiːbʌɡ/
KK[dibˈʌɡ]IPA/ˈdiːbʌɡ/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words involve making something work properly, but they differ in scope and context. 'Debug' is specific to computing — it means finding and removing errors in code or software. 'Fix' is the most general term; you can fix a chair, a relationship, or a bug. 'Troubleshoot' is broader than debug: it covers diagnosing the source of any problem (hardware, network, or process) and may not involve removing faults yourself. 'Correct' is more formal and focuses on the outcome — making the code right — rather than the search process. For example: a developer debugs a faulty login system, the IT team troubleshoots a network outage, and a junior programmer corrects a typo in a function name.

debug ↗fix ↗troubleshoot ↗correct ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Etymology

English (computing coinage)

The word 'debug' entered computing in the 1940s. In 1947, computer pioneer Grace Hopper and her team found a moth trapped in a relay of the Harvard Mark II computer, causing it to malfunction. She famously wrote in the logbook 'First actual case of bug being found' — though the term 'bug' for a mechanical fault had been used since Thomas Edison's time in the 1800s. 'Debug' simply means 'remove the bug', and it became the standard word for fixing computer errors.