open to debate

open to debate — idiom

1. used to say that a question or subject has no single accepted answer and can be

1.idiomB2
Definition

used to say that a question or subject has no single accepted answer and can be argued from different sides

Example

Whether the city's ban on diesel cars has improved air quality in the centre is still open to debate.

pattern: whether [clause] is open to debate

Adaeze argued that the safety figures were open to debate.

Common collocations
  • remain open to debate
  • still open to debate
  • is open to debate
  • highly open to debate
Synonyms
  • debatable

    more formal and concise; can describe a single claim rather than a whole topic

  • arguable

    implies there is evidence on both sides, slightly more academic

  • up for discussion

    more informal and collaborative; suggests a group will actively discuss it

  • unsettled

    broader — applies to anything undecided, not just topics open to argument

Antonyms
  • settled

    describes a matter on which agreement has been reached

  • beyond dispute

    emphatic; means no reasonable person could disagree

Grammar Patterns

be + open to debate

remain/seem + open to debate

Usage Note

Used after verbs like be, remain, or seem. The subject is typically a question, claim, or statement whose truth is not yet settled.

Common Mistakes

The council opened to debate the budget.
The council said the budget was open to debate.
'open to debate' describes a state, not an action. Use it after be, remain, or seem.

Etymology

Old EnglishOld FrenchEnglish

Combines 'open' (from Old English open, meaning 'not closed or restricted') with 'debate' (from Old French debatre, 'to fight or contend'). The phrase has been used since the 18th century to describe matters that remain accessible to argument.