consider and debate share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. consider means “deem to be”. debate means “argue with one another”. consider is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/kənˈsɪdɚ/
1.v.deem to be
“She views this quite differently from me”
2.v.give careful consideration to
“consider the possibility of moving”
3.v.take into consideration for exemplifying purposes
“Take the case of China”
/dəˈbeɪt/
1.v.argue with one another
“We debated the question of abortion”
2.v.think about carefully; weigh
“They considered the possibility of a strike”
3.v.discuss the pros and cons of an issue
| consider | debate | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /kənˈsɪdɚ/ | /dəˈbeɪt/ |
| Said | kuhn-SID-ur | duh-BAYT |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Letters | 8 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | verb | verb, noun |
| Senses | 9 | 6 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | see, reckon, view | none recorded |
Full entry for consider · Full entry for debate · More comparisons