debrief

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "debrief" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in contexts where someone is being questioned or given information after an event, often to gather information or feedback. Example: "After the mission, the team gathered to debrief and discuss what went well and what could be improved."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And at the end of each day we have a debrief where everyone talks about what's happened.

The Guardian

This has been the tone of things from Adelaide onwards, an extended mass debrief on exactly where, when and how everything that could go wrong has managed, as it turns out, to go so badly wrong.

The Guardian - Sport

The carabinieri that night were having their debrief in the same part of the bus park and we could see them embracing and high-fiving.

The Guardian - Sport

But whatever Newcastle's fate, let's hope the post-season debrief spares their fans any more of the I-told-you-so revisionism regarding the Alan Pardew era.

The Guardian - Sport

For every subsequent exercise, Ivan appointed one new team member as leader and after each exercise we took 15 minutes to debrief.

The Economist

Finally, back in the classroom, we debrief and discuss ideas for navigating unfamiliar situations and coping with the challenges of cultural adaptation.

The Economist

Two days later, he met Mr Chávez in Cartagena, and on April 13th, Colombia officially announced that Mr Makled would be sent to Venezuela.To minimise America's ire, Colombia will not actually extradite Mr Makled for another month, giving United States agents more time to debrief him.

The Economist

In 1943, during World War II, Qian helped prepare an analysis of the German rocket program for the U.S. Army, and at the war's end he traveled to Germany as a U.S. Army colonel to debrief captured German rocket scientists, including Wernher von Braun.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Police were rounded up from around the ground, everyone else evicted, and the first police debrief took place.

Independent

The debrief on Monday with Warren Gatland was a very honest one, although he was kind enough to say we could have won by 15 to 20 points had we converted those tries when held up on the Fijian line.

Independent

It was significant that Hodgson, at last looking comfortable in his own skin during the Montenegro debrief, should admit to paying special attention to Tottenham's Academy.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal project settings, follow a "plan, brief, execute, debrief, process" cycle to drive continuous improvement.

Common error

Don't use "debrief" when you simply mean to have a casual discussion or chat. "Debrief" implies a more formal and structured process, usually with specific goals such as gathering intelligence or improving future performance.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "debrief" is a verb, used to describe the act of questioning someone or a group after an event to gather information or feedback. Ludwig AI indicates its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

74%

Encyclopedias

16%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "debrief" is a versatile verb denoting a structured process of gathering information or feedback after an event. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage. Predominantly found in news and media, it also appears in formal business settings and encyclopedias. While usable in both formal and informal situations, it implies a structured approach. For alternative expressions, consider "post-event review" or "feedback session" depending on the specific context. Remember that "debrief" isn't just any discussion; it's a deliberate effort to extract key learnings or intelligence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

conduct an after-action review

More specific to military or strategic contexts, emphasizing a structured review process.

conduct a post-event review

Replaces "debrief" with a more formal term for examining events after they occur.

hold a feedback session

Focuses on gathering feedback as the primary purpose of the meeting, differing slightly from a broader review.

have a post-project analysis

Specific to project management contexts, where analysis is more in-depth than a general debrief.

carry out a performance assessment

Focuses specifically on assessing performance, making it suitable when the primary goal is evaluation.

conduct a post-mortem

Often used in business to analyse failures or project completions, where the learning is most crucial.

evaluate the outcomes

Focuses only on the results, omitting other aspects of the process that "debrief" might include.

summarize the findings

Emphasizes the compilation of findings rather than the interactive discussion aspect of a debrief.

examine the results

Narrower scope, focusing solely on the outcomes and not necessarily on the process or experience.

review the situation

It suggests a comprehensive overview, differing from the immediate post-event focus of "debrief".

FAQs

How do you use "debrief" in a sentence?

You can use "debrief" to describe questioning someone after a mission, like, "The soldiers were "debriefed" after their reconnaissance mission". Or in a business context, "Let's "debrief" after the client meeting to discuss our strategy".

What's the difference between "debrief" and "review"?

"Debrief" typically refers to a structured session soon after an event to gather specific information or lessons learned. "Review" is broader and can encompass a more general examination of something at any time.

What can I say instead of "debrief"?

Alternatives to "debrief" include "post-event review", "feedback session", or "after-action review", depending on the context.

Is "debrief" formal or informal?

"Debrief" can be used in both formal and informal settings, but it generally implies a level of structure and purpose beyond a casual conversation. Its formality depends on the context; it's common in military and business settings but can also be used in less formal project teams.