(of a soldier, astronaut, diplomat, etc) to make or (of his or her superiors) to elicit a report after a mission or event
Comparebrief 13
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
de•brief /diˈbrif/USA pronunciation
v. [ ~ + obj]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to ask (someone) questions in order to obtain useful information or intelligence:The pilots were debriefed after the last bombing run.
de•brief
(dē brēf′),USA pronunciation v.t.
de•brief′er, n.
de•brief′ing, n.
- to interrogate (a soldier, astronaut, diplomat, etc.) on return from a mission in order to assess the conduct and results of the mission.
- to question formally and systematically in order to obtain useful intelligence or information:Political and economic experts routinely debrief important defectors about conditions in their home country.
- to subject to prohibitions against revealing or discussing classified information, as upon separation from a position of military or political sensitivity.
- Psychology(after an experiment) to disclose to the subject the purpose of the experiment and any reasons for deception or manipulation.
- de- + brief 1940–45
de•brief′ing, n.
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