What is Debate Topics?
Cats are better than dogs. Homework should be banned. Pineapple belongs on pizza. Tap for a motion, flip to assign FOR and AGAINST, and start the 90-second clock for each side. Some topics are silly, some are real — all of them start conversations.
Teachers use it for speaking practice and critical thinking; friends use it for the sheer joy of arguing about pizza.
75 debate topics on this page — silly motions for parties, real ones for practice, and classroom-ready motions for students. The game above picks a topic, assigns sides and runs the 90-second timer so nobody filibusters.
😄 25 Funny Debate Topics
Low stakes, strong opinions. Assign sides at random — defending a position you disagree with is where the comedy is.
- Cats are better pets than dogs.
- Pineapple belongs on pizza.
- Cereal is a soup.
- A hotdog is a sandwich.
- It is acceptable to wear socks with sandals.
- Toilet paper should hang over, not under.
- Cake is better than ice cream.
- Being able to fly beats being invisible.
- Winter is better than summer.
- Books are always better than their films.
- Morning people are secretly robots.
- The middle seat deserves both armrests.
- Milk goes in before the cereal.
- Aliens have definitely visited Earth.
- A wet dog smells worse than a wet towel.
- Breakfast is overrated.
- Everyone should learn to dance before learning to drive.
- Ketchup belongs in the fridge, not the cupboard.
- It is fine to reply to a text three days late.
- Biryani is a special-occasion food, not an everyday food.
- GIFs count as a language.
- Five-minute naps actually work.
- Pyjamas are acceptable outdoor clothing.
- The weekend should be three days long.
- Samosas beat sandwiches for any journey.
🧠 25 Serious Debate Topics
Real questions with genuine arguments on both sides — good for practice rounds and dinner tables that enjoy a proper argument.
- Social media does more harm than good.
- Homework should be abolished.
- Everyone should be a vegetarian one day a week.
- Voting should be compulsory.
- Space exploration is worth the cost.
- Artificial intelligence will create more jobs than it destroys.
- Money can buy happiness.
- Zoos do more good than harm.
- Streaming has made music better.
- The voting age should be lowered to 16.
- Single-use plastics should be banned everywhere.
- Working from home beats working in an office.
- Fame does more damage than good to a person.
- Competitive sport teaches children the wrong lessons.
- Everyone should learn to code.
- Public transport should be free.
- Junk food advertising should be banned before 9pm.
- A four-day work week would make people more productive.
- Video games are a sport.
- Tourists do more harm than good to famous places.
- Every citizen should do a year of community service.
- Smartphones should be banned for children under 13.
- Cash will (and should) disappear completely.
- Lotteries do more harm than good.
- It is better to be feared than liked as a leader.
🏫 25 Debate Topics for Students
Classroom motions every student has an opinion about — ideal for first-time debaters because no research is needed to have a view.
- School uniforms should be compulsory.
- Exams are the worst way to measure learning.
- Mobile phones should be allowed in class.
- Teachers should be replaced by videos for some subjects.
- Every student should learn a musical instrument.
- School should start at 10am.
- Group projects are unfair.
- Handwriting still matters in the computer age.
- Every school should teach cooking.
- Sports day should be optional.
- Students should grade their teachers.
- History is more important than mathematics.
- School holidays are too long.
- Every classroom should have a pet.
- Failing a class can be good for you.
- Homework on weekends should be illegal.
- Every student should learn public speaking.
- Canteens should only serve healthy food.
- Field trips teach more than textbooks.
- The best seat in class is the back row.
- Reading books beats watching documentaries.
- Everyone should repeat a year at least once.
- School libraries matter more than school labs.
- Marks should be secret between student and teacher.
- Learning a second language should be optional.
A one-minute format that works
Coin-flip the sides, give each side 90 seconds, then 30 seconds of rebuttal each, then the room votes — not on which side is right, but on who argued better. That single rule turns arguments into sport.
🤔 Prefer dilemmas to debates? Play Would You Rather
Game setup
How to play Debate Topics
- Add players (optional) so the game rotates fairly and names appear on each card.
- Choose a mode — the mood of the prompts — then tap Start.
- Read the card aloud, do what it says, then tap Next for a fresh prompt. Skip anything you do not like.
- Put the game on the big screen with ⛶ Fullscreen so the whole room can read it.
How many players?
Debate Topics works with 2+ players and a typical round takes about 10–30 min. Recommended age: All ages.
Best occasions
Tips
- Start with the mildest mode and escalate as the room warms up.
- Agree on a forfeit for players who refuse a prompt — ten squats is a classic.
- Use Party Mode for bigger text when the phone is passed around.
Debate Topics FAQ
How are sides assigned?
Tap Assign Sides and a coin flip decides who argues for and who argues against — no choosing the easy side.
What are good debate topics for students?
Motions students already have opinions on work best, such as "School uniforms should be compulsory", "Mobile phones should be allowed in class" and "School should start at 10am". The student list on this page has 25 of them, and the game can assign FOR and AGAINST sides with a 90-second clock for each.
How many prompts does Debate Topics have?
Hundreds across all modes, hand-written and shuffled so you rarely see the same one twice in a session.
Is it suitable for kids?
Use the Clean mode (or the dedicated kids version where available). Spicy modes are for adults.
Can I play online with friends who are far away?
Yes — share your screen on a video call, or send the prompt with the Share button.