debrief
verb
de·brief
(ˌ)dē-ˈbrēf 
debriefed; debriefing; debriefs
1
: to interrogate (someone, such as a pilot) usually upon return (as from a mission) in order to obtain useful information
The hostages were later debriefed by police.
2
: to carefully review upon completion
debrief the flight
: to be interrogated for useful information following a mission, experience, etc. : to be debriefed
After each mission, … the pilots land, disarm and roll into the fuel pit. They spend another hour debriefing with Intelligence …—
Maria Wilhelm
Maria WilhelmExamples of debrief in a Sentence
Police debriefed the hostages upon their return.
The pilot was debriefed after his flight.
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Bostwick and Malcolm debriefed by phone after each of her coaching sessions.
—Katie Roiphe Samantha Desz Krish Seenivasan Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
The following day, Contessa and Phaedra sit down to debrief the previous night’s chaos.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 6 Jan. 2025
He is debriefed in far greater detail than the public about what is and isn’t currently available on the trade market.
—Anthony Slater, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
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Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 17 Feb. 2025
Bostwick and Malcolm debriefed by phone after each of her coaching sessions.
—Katie Roiphe Samantha Desz Krish Seenivasan Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
The following day, Contessa and Phaedra sit down to debrief the previous night’s chaos.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 6 Jan. 2025
He is debriefed in far greater detail than the public about what is and isn’t currently available on the trade market.
—Anthony Slater, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debrief
Articles Related to debrief
Cite this Entry
“Debrief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debrief. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
debrief
verb
de·brief
di-ˈbrēf
ˈdē-
: to question (as an astronaut) on return from a mission or assignment in order to obtain useful information
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