cursory debate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cursory debate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a discussion or argument that is superficial or lacking in depth. Example: "The committee held a cursory debate on the proposed changes, but no substantial conclusions were reached."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Two days later, after cursory debate, the lower house of parliament passed a new law allowing Japan's ailing life insurers to cut the rates of return they guaranteed to policyholders, and thus to break unprofitable contracts.

The Economist

Thus, on November 16th, after only a cursory debate, the lower house passed tweaks to the basic education law that will make it compulsory for teachers to teach patriotism to children.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The campaigns largely felt like men talking to one another, and a cursory glance at a debate on the matter in the House of Commons might still back that up: Europe seems to turn men on in a way it doesn't for women.

The Guardian - Opinion

It's tempting to look at all this diversity and see an echo chamber in which people of the same narrow views get together and vigorously agree with each other, but a cursory glance at the heated debate that is the internet's signature rhetorical style militates against it.

The Guardian - Tech

And while women still earn about 17% less than men, and workplace discrimination continues, and the third and fourth waves of feminism have moved on to other important debates, even a cursory glance at the barriers for any woman seeking legal or economic independence before the federal and state sex discrimination laws shows how much they helped change things.

The Guardian

Four days after his unexpected appointment, Mikhail Y . Fradkovwas approved as prime minister by the Russian Parliament on Friday, following little debate and only a cursory discussion of his policy goals.

The New York Times

Whether or not that's a good thing hangs on the controversial health question, and that debate is raging — a cursory Google search turns up hundreds of articles on the topic just in the last few days.

Vice

Both debates, though, show a tendency to proceed with only the most cursory attention to the original argument which started them off.

SEP

Coach Bill Lynch refused to give the landslide loss more than cursory attention, even as it rekindled a debate about his tenure at Indiana.

The New York Times - Sports

Unfortunately, "climate change" was not even mentioned in the second presidential debate and received barely a cursory mention in the third.

Huffington Post

One of the most curious, and little-remarked, features of this week's Presidential debate was that the only foreign country to get more than cursory treatment was Colombia, known to most television-watching, non-García Márquez-reading North Americans as a land of rich drug lords, leftist guerrillas, rightist death squads, and ubiquitous coca plantations.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cursory debate", ensure the context clearly indicates that the debate lacked depth or thoroughness. Avoid using it when describing a debate that was simply short due to time constraints, as this could be misleading.

Common error

Be careful not to confuse "cursory debate", meaning a debate lacking depth, with a debate that was simply brief due to external factors such as time limitations. Use "brief debate" instead if the shortness, rather than the lack of depth, is the intended focus.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cursory debate" functions as an adjective-noun combination, where "cursory" modifies the noun "debate". According to Ludwig AI, it describes a debate that lacks thoroughness or attention to detail. The examples show its use in contexts where decisions are made with insufficient discussion.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "cursory debate" is used to describe a discussion or argument that lacks depth or thoroughness. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. The phrase appears most frequently in News & Media contexts. While grammatically sound, be mindful that "cursory" implies a lack of depth, not just brevity, and use alternatives like "brief discussion" if shortness is the primary focus. Related phrases include "perfunctory debate", "shallow discussion", and "superficial debate".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

perfunctory debate

Replaces "cursory" with "perfunctory", emphasizing the routine or indifferent nature of the debate.

superficial debate

Similar to "shallow discussion", highlighting the lack of thorough investigation.

shallow discussion

Replaces "cursory" with "shallow", directly addressing the lack of depth in the discussion.

token debate

Suggests the debate was merely a formality, lacking genuine engagement.

hasty debate

Emphasizes the speed and lack of careful consideration in the debate.

limited discussion

Highlights the restricted scope and depth of the discussion.

brief discussion

Focuses on the short duration of the discussion rather than its lack of depth.

light debate

Emphasizes the lack of seriousness or depth in the discussion.

fleeting debate

Indicates the debate was very short and quickly passed over.

quick exchange

Replaces "debate" with "exchange", suggesting a brief and informal discussion.

FAQs

What does "cursory debate" mean?

A "cursory debate" refers to a discussion or argument that is brief and lacking in thoroughness or depth. It implies a superficial examination of the topic.

How can I use "cursory debate" in a sentence?

You might say, "The proposal received only a "cursory debate" before being approved" or "The committee conducted a "cursory debate", failing to address the core issues".

What are some alternatives to "cursory debate"?

You can use alternatives like "perfunctory debate", "brief discussion", or "superficial debate" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "cursory debate" a negative term?

Yes, "cursory debate" generally carries a negative connotation, implying that the discussion was inadequate or incomplete and lacked in-depth engagement with the topic.